For as long as Carly Berlin has been reporting on housing issues for Vermont Public and VTDigger, she’s been hearing some version of this question: Is Vermont’s rise in homelessness due to unhoused people moving here from out-of-state?

She hasn’t been able to track down an easy answer to this question. And in the absence of information, the idea that Vermont’s benefits are a “magnet” for those experiencing homelessness has taken root, from the aisles of grocery stores to the Statehouse floor. It’s a narrative that’s shaping the conversation about homelessness in Vermont, and what the state should do to address it.

But is it even true? In this episode, Carly goes digging for data.

Find the web version of this story here.

Thanks to Joseph Valaske and Mark Tarmy of Putney for sharing their curiosity with us.

This episode was reported by Carly Berlin and produced by Burgess Brown. Editing and additional production from Sabine Poux and Josh Crane, with support from April McCullum and Alicia Freese. Angela Evancie is our executive producer. Theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Special thanks to Lola Duffort, Laura Nakasaka, Sophie Stephens, Jess Graff, Sarah Russell, Rick DeAngelis, Frank Knaack, Stephen Waclawik and Mary Mojica.

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Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Updated: September 7, 2024 — We removed a caveat about data presented in this story to avoid repetition and the potential for misinterpretation.