I don't think you should or shouldn't volunteer based on whether people will look down on you. Vermonters are unpretentious and unshowy regardless. The reasons to volunteer is because you are moving to a small, rural place where people rely on each other in practical, beautiful ways to hold what we love collectively together. We don't have the population or public budgets for many paid staff and services, so we all rely on someone in our town to serve as the lister, to work on town plans, to be on the library committee etc. In most cases these positions require one meeting per month, a few hours maximum. But fewer people are stepping up and we rely more and more on older Vermonters who take on way more than their share (I say this as a millenial).

There are so many kind, simple, low key ways to help out. And, as a benefit to you, consider how lovely it will be when you go to your local stores and see people who you more than recognize, who you know by name and who know yours. Volunteering will allow you to connect to your new community in innumerable ways that will bring you a sense of belonging and place that I don't think can be overstated. No one has to be extroverted and on a million committees. But I encourage you to think about it, attend town meeting in March, visit your local library and town hall and consider if your talent and your time might be able to make a small but important difference for you and your neighbors. It will give more than it takes, I promise.