Chittenden County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2010 census, the population was 156,545. The county's population estimate for 2016 was 161,531. Its shire town (seat) is Vermont's most populous municipality, the city of Burlington. The county has over a quarter of the state's population and more than twice the population of to Vermont's second most populous county of Rutland. The county also has more than twice the population density of Vermont's second most dense county of Washington. The county is named for Vermont's first governor and one of the framers of its Constitution as a Republic and state, Thomas Chittenden.The county has most of Vermont's fastest growing municipalities. It is one of the three counties that comprise the Burlington metropolitan area, along with the counties of Franklin and Grand Isle to the north and northwest, respectively. The University of Vermont (UVM), Vermont's largest university, is located in the county, as well as its affiliated hospital, the UVM Medical Center (which is Vermont's largest hospital). Vermont's largest private employer (GlobalFoundries) and largest airport (Burlington International Airport) are in the localities of Essex Junction and South Burlington, respectively. The Vermont National Guard is based at Camp Johnson in the town of Colchester while their Air Guard is based at the Burlington International Airport.
