USDA Plant Hardiness Zones · 2023 map

What growing zone is Vermont?

Vermont’s ZIP codes span USDA plant hardiness zones 4a to 6a. The most common zone, covering 132 of 225 ZIP codes, is 5a (−20 to −15°F average coldest winter night).

USDA hardiness zones in Vermont

ZoneAvg. extreme minimumZIP codesExample cities
Zone 4a−30 to −25°F10—
Zone 4b−25 to −20°F55—
Zone 5a−20 to −15°F132South Burlington, Rutland, Essex Junction, Winooski
Zone 5b−15 to −10°F26Burlington
Zone 6a−10 to −5°F2—
 ZIP codes from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (USDA ARS and Oregon State University PRISM). Unpopulated areas such as high mountains can be colder than any ZIP code.

Growing zone and frost dates by city

CityZoneFrost dates
Burlington5b (−15 to −10°F)Burlington frost dates
South Burlington5a (−20 to −15°F)South Burlington frost dates
Rutland5a (−20 to −15°F)Rutland frost dates
Essex Junction5a (−20 to −15°F)Essex Junction frost dates
Winooski5a (−20 to −15°F)Winooski frost dates
Barre5a (−20 to −15°F)Barre frost dates
Montpelier5a (−20 to −15°F)Montpelier frost dates
St. Albans5a (−20 to −15°F)St. Albans frost dates
 Incorporated cities with 5,000+ residents. Each city uses the zone of its central ZIP code.

Frequently asked questions

What growing zone is Vermont in?

Vermont’s ZIP codes span USDA zones 4a to 6a, and 5a is the most common. Zones vary with elevation and distance from water, so check your own ZIP code.

When should I plant?

Hardiness zones are about winter cold, not planting dates. For timing, use the last spring frost date for your city on our Vermont frost dates page.