A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Berlin$790/mo

Typical home $147K (Census) · tax rate 0.20% · or rent about $1,574/mo · Housing →

Powell$1,100/mo

Typical home $198K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.39% · or rent about $931/mo · Housing →

The difference: $310 a month, about $3,700 a year, between Powell and Berlin.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

BerlinPowell

Snow a year1″1″

January low29°F 30°F

July high88°F 88°F

Growing season (days)204d 217d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)45th 72nd

Outdoors & history

BerlinPowell

Trails—0 mi

Conserved land—0%

Settled2018 —

Archive photos—3

Community

BerlinPowell

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

54 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BerlinAL PowellAL

Berlin ↔ Powell54 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Alabama average

BerlinPowell

People

Population 887Lowest 912Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -5.7% AL: +5.1%

Median age 38.3±8.1Highest about the AL average 36.9±10.4Lowest 6% below AL

Berlin and Powell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 23.8%±5.2Highest AL: 22.2% 19.8%±6.3Lowest AL: 22.2%

Berlin and Powell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 13.3%±3.8Lowest AL: 17.8% 13.7%±4.4Highest AL: 17.8%

Powell and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12.9%Highest AL: 28.4% 8.4%Lowest AL: 28.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.2%±3.2Highest AL: 6.3% 1.3%±1.4Lowest AL: 6.3%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $70,982±$12kHighest 11% above AL $61,786±$5kLowest 3% below AL

Berlin and Powell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $146,600±$17kHighest 30% below AL $116,400±$47kLowest 45% below AL

Berlin and Powell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,574±$560Highest 56% above AL $931±$104Lowest 8% below AL

Berlin and Powell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $292Lowest 63% below AL $450Highest 43% below AL

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 25.4%±35.3Highest AL: 48.8% 24.2%±58.1Lowest AL: 48.8%

Berlin and Powell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 15.4%Lowest AL: 15.6% 30.8%Highest AL: 15.6%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 74.5%Highest AL: 70.2% 72.1%Lowest AL: 70.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1994Highest 8 yrs newer than AL 1985Lowest 1 yr older than AL

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 32 minHighest 27% above AL 22 minLowest 14% below AL

Work from home 5.8%±7.2Highest AL: 8.8% 1.7%±2.2Lowest AL: 8.8%

Berlin and Powell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 11.4%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.3 miHighest 12.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.10Lowest 1.02Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Cullman (27%)Fort Payne (15%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PowellFew work in Berlin

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 19.1Highest 8.6Lowest

Alabama average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Berlin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Berlin’s Town Square.

Powell neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Powell’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Berlin and Powell

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Berlin

+ Compare

Autaugaville809 people · $144K homes

+ Compare

Cherokee1,120 people · $102K homes

+ Compare

Rogersville1,260 people · $186K homes

+ Compare

Leesburg998 people · $183K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Berlin vs Powell

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $310 more a month in Powell

What daily life feels like in each

54 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Berlin and Powell

Towns like Berlin

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