Higher income levels in Vermont? REALLY? I hated the place when i lived there, it was like poverty-town, everyone worked for minimum it seemed, and there was really no hope of a decent paycheck to be found in the state unless you were a high-tech import in Burlington.
Vermont is just barely above the national average. Certainly not "higher income". I'd say almost all of the higher paid folks are government workers of all kinds with a few at IBM as well.