What stands out worked out from the figures below

Berlin has the shortest commute (25 min average).

Damascus has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.4%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Berlin	Damascus
People
Population	2,832Lowest	3,698Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.9%Lowest PA: +2.4%	+0.4%Highest PA: +2.4%
Median age	48.5±3.4Lowest 19% above PA	52.3±1.7Highest 28% above PA
	Damascus and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.9%±3.3Highest PA: 20.4%	16.6%±4.6Lowest PA: 20.4%
	Berlin and Damascus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.3%±3.8Lowest PA: 19.5%	28%±6.7Highest PA: 19.5%
	Damascus and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	22.5%Lowest PA: 35.2%	30.3%Highest PA: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.7Lowest PA: 6.1%	4.1%±3Highest PA: 6.1%
	Damascus and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$68,494±$11kLowest 12% below PA	$75,357±$19kHighest 3% below PA
	Damascus and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$246,900±$36kLowest about the PA average	$282,200±$28kHighest 11% above PA
	Damascus and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$954±$64Highest 21% below PA	$705±$576Lowest 42% below PA
	Berlin and Damascus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,141Lowest 5% below PA	$3,504Highest 6% above PA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65.6%±30Highest PA: 48.2%	24.5%±39Lowest PA: 48.2%
	Berlin and Damascus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.3%Highest PA: 11.7%	8.9%Lowest PA: 11.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.8%Lowest PA: 69.3%	92%Highest PA: 69.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 17 yrs newer than PA	1980Lowest 15 yrs newer than PA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 5% below PA	39 minHighest 49% above PA
Work from home	4.6%±2.4Lowest PA: 15.6%	7.8%±6Highest PA: 15.6%
	Damascus and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#51 of 764 in PA
School district	—	Wayne Highlands SD
High school in town	—	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

PA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.