Table 55. Selected Operator Characteristics for Principal, Second, and Third Operator: 2012 
[For meaning of abbreviations and symbols, see introductory text.] 
Characteristics 
All operators 1 
Principal operator 
Second operator 
Third operator 
Operators number 
12,012 
7,338 
4,052 
622 
Sex of operator: 
Male 
7,310 
5,696 
1,252 
362 
Spouse of principal operator 
662 
(X) 
648 
14 
Female 
4,702 
1,642 
2,800 
260 
Spouse of principal operator 
2,520 
(X) 
2,453 
67 
Primary occupation: 
Farming 
5,587 
3,779 
1,502 
306 
Other 
6,425 
3,559 
2,550 
316 
Place of residence: 
On farm operated 
10,363 
6,487 
3,513 
363 
Not on farm operated 
1,649 
851 
539 
259 
Days worked off farm: 
None 
4,352 
2,845 
1,272 
235 
Any 
7,660 
4,493 
2,780 
387 
1 to 49 days 
1,124 
663 
399 
62 
50 to 99 days 
677 
419 
243 
15 
100 to 199 days 
1,264 
725 
476 
63 
200 days or more 
4,595 
2,686 
1,662 
247 
Years on present farm: 
2 years or less 
726 
346 
291 
89 
3 or 4 years 
911 
486 
341 
84 
5 to 9 years 
2,216 
1,233 
859 
124 
10 years or more 
8,159 
5,273 
2,561 
325 
Years operating any farm (see text): 
2 years or less 
516 
206 
239 
71 
3 or 4 years 
726 
376 
279 
71 
5 to 9 years 
2,002 
1,052 
816 
134 
10 years or more 
8,768 
5,704 
2,718 
346 
Age group: 
Under 25 years 
147 
20 
46 
81 
25 to 34 years 
954 
398 
385 
171 
35 to 44 years 
1,480 
788 
584 
108 
45 to 54 years 
2,841 
1,709 
1,050 
82 
55 to 64 years 
3,676 
2,347 
1,230 
99 
65 to 74 years 
1,987 
1,357 
589 
41 
75 years and over 
927 
719 
168 
40 
Average age 
55.1 
57.3 
53.1 
43.5 
Number of persons living in household 
23,220 
19,192 
2,966 
1,062 
Data were collected for a maximum of three operators per farm. 
40 Vermont 
2012 Census of Agriculture - State Data 
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service 
