Vermont labor market strong but shifting: rise in very small ‘‘establishments,’’ southern counties see labor-force declines

Matthew Barwitz, director of the Economic and Labor Market Information Division at the Vermont Department of Labor, told the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs on Jan. 21 that Vermont’s job market remains tight even as its composition shifts.

Barwitz said Vermont had an estimated 306,971 covered jobs and a 2023 realized average wage of $61,813, up about 3.7 percent from 2022. “The quarterly census of employment and wages ... is a census, meaning that everyone is required to talk to us,” he said, stressing the QCEW’s comprehensiveness even as it carries a roughly five‑month publication lag that limits timeliness for near-term policy changes.

Why it matters: the QCEW underpins most state labor estimates and sampling frames. Barwitz said the state has seen near‑5 percent growth in the number of registered establishments — a rise he tied to remote employment arrangements in which out‑of‑state firms must register when they hire a Vermont resident. “We now have 1 firm, 1 employee,” he said, noting many new…