As the capital of Vermont, Montpelier (pronounced mont-peel-yer) is the site of the Vermont State House, seat of the legislative branch of Vermont government. By population, it is the smallest state capital in the United States. Montpelier is also home to the Vermont History Museum and Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Montpelier is located in a picturesque valley along the Winooski River in Central Vermont and is very accessible by car, train, and air. Located on the I-89 Interstate, Montpelier can be reached from both Boston and Montreal in less than 3 hours.

Industry in Montpelier, Vermont
Since the city's establishment as capital in 1805, the primary business in Montpelier has been government, and by the mid-nineteenth century government and life and fire insurance. Today, Montpelier is home to the New England Culinary Institute, the annual Green Mountain Film Festival, and the headquarters of several insurance companies. The majority of businesses in the downtown area are locally owned.

An annual local vernacular culture phenomenon, the Valentine Bandit, a tradition of covering downtown storefronts and public buildings with red hearts each February 14, began in Montpelier in the 1990s.