The Winooski River valley at 700 feet elevation provides Waterbury's setting, with the Green Mountains rising steeply on both sides. This town of 5,200 sits in central Vermont along Interstate 89, roughly 12 miles northwest of Montpelier. New England climate brings harsh winters with heavy snow, averaging temperatures around 15°F, and mild summers reaching the mid-70s. The river's floodplain contains the downtown area, while residential neighborhoods climb the surrounding hillsides. Dense hardwood and conifer forests cover the mountainsides, with the valley floor representing the only flat terrain.
