What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mason has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).

Berlin has the shortest commute (21 min average).

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	Mason	Berlin
People
Population	1,451Lowest	2,880Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-1.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±2.3Lowest 12% above U.S.	50.6±2.4Highest 30% above U.S.
Kids under 18	28.8%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22%	16.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	15.6%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	26.8%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	28.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Berlin and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$111,090±$3kHighest 38% above U.S.	$86,691±$21kLowest 7% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$384,000±$21kHighest 15% above U.S.	$273,600±$31kLowest 18% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,530±$852Highest 79% above U.S.	$1,169±$171Lowest 17% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,049Highest 126% above U.S.	$4,418Lowest 42% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	87.2%±42.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	41%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Mason and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	87.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.	1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	41 minHighest 55% above U.S.	21 minLowest 20% below U.S.
Work from home	20.7%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	11.7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	—	#16 of 70 in VT
School district	Mason School District	Washington Central Unified Union School District #92
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.