Teachout was born in [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], the second of five children, to Peter Teachout, a constitutional law professor at [[Vermont Law School]], and Mary Miles Teachout, who serves as a trial judge in Vermont and founded the [[Vermont Law Review]].<refname=2015_HuffPost-Profile>{{citenews|last1=Blumenthal|first1=Paul|title=Zephyr Teachout Puts America's Corporate Elites On Notice|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/zephyr-teachout-corporations_n_7156072|work=Huffington Post|date=May 6Peter, 2015}}</ref> Her fatherwho served in the [[United States Army]] as a [[lieutenant]] during the [[Vietnam War]] and has a law degree from [[Harvard Law School]].,<ref name=2014_BurlingtonFP-Profile>{{cite news|first1=Terri|last1=Hallenbeck|title=Former Vermonter stirring up NY politics|url=https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2014/08/05/former-vermont-challenges-cuomo/13589997/|work=Burlington Free Press|date=August 5, 2014}}</ref> At the time of her birth, the family was living in Seattle, where her father was a professor at the [[University of Washington]] at the time.<ref name=2019_VermontLawSchool-Father>{{cite web|title=Faculty: Peter Teachout, Professor of Law|url=http://www.vermontlaw.edu/directory/person/teachout-peter|work=Vermont Law School|access-date=November 3, 2019}}</ref> The family relocated to Vermont where Peter became a constitutional law professor at [[Vermont Law School]], and Mary has served as a trial judge in Vermont and founded the [[Vermont Law Review]].<ref name=2015_HuffPost-Profile>{{cite news|last1=Blumenthal|first1=Paul|title=Zephyr Teachout Puts America's Corporate Elites On Notice|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/zephyr-teachout-corporations_n_7156072|work=Huffington Post|date=May 6, 2015}}</ref>
Raised on a farm outside [[Norwich, Vermont]],<ref name=2014_BurlingtonFP-Profile /><ref name=2014_Bloomberg-Profile>{{cite news|first1=Freeman|last1=Klopott|title=Cuomo Foe Teachout Finds Energy in Corruption Panel Mess|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-08-05/cuomo-foe-teachout-finds-energy-in-corruption-panel-mess|work=Bloomberg News|date=August 5, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rutlandherald.com/news/theater-review-downton-exposed-in-unadilla-production/article_ce09eaf3-bdbb-52a5-8cdb-c57a8e9f247e.html|title=Theater Review 'Downton' exposed in Unadilla production|first=Jim|last=Lowe|website=Rutland Herald|access-date=2020-02-02}}</ref> Teachout attended [[Hanover High School (New Hampshire)|Hanover High School]] in [[Hanover, New Hampshire]], where she was a champion cross-country runner<ref name=2014_BurlingtonFP-Profile /> and did some acting.<ref name="happy-days"/>
