Hi, Bob.  Thanks for reaching out to the UVM Extensions Master Gardener Helpline.

You will need to consider multiple factors in choosing an appropriate coniferous hedge for your home and garden.  

There are many environmental factors to consider related to the site, such as: 

• the amount of sunlight/shade; 
• how dry or moist the area is; 
• the kind of soil (clay, loamy, sandy) and its fertility;
• exposure to harsh weather, eg. wind or sun.
• the plant hardiness zone.

Then there are other factors to consider, such as:

• the maintenance required for a particular plant - pruning, fertilizing, etc.
• disease and pest resistance, including deer and rabbits!
• long term growth - how tall and wide does it grow, and how does it age?

You mentioned arborvitae - a good place to start. This information from Penn State has a great explanation of the pros and cons of American arborvitae, aka white cedar.   https://extension.psu.edu/the-mighty-arborvitae

This article on hedges from Colorado State has a chart with specifics of various hedge plants.  Scroll to the bottom to find a selection of coniferous ones.
https://extension.colostate.edu/resource/hedges/

Other common hedge plants are box (boxwood) and yew, which have their own pros and cons.  This article from Cornell suggests some alternatives that you may not have considered: https://cals.cornell.edu/integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/fact-sheets/box-tree-moth/alternatives-boxwood

After reviewing all this information, a next step might be to browse online catalogues of nurseries, particularly Vermont nurseries, and follow that with in-person visits this spring.

I hope this is useful.  Let me know if I help further.