Compare towns
Petersburgh vs Barre vs Berlin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Petersburgh has the oldest population (median age 51.3).
Barre has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (-3.8%).
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.
| Measure | Petersburgh | Barre | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,310Lowest |
8,412Highest |
1,960 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.3±6.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
42.2±6.6 8% above U.S. |
41.3±5.3Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Petersburgh and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
13.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Berlin and Petersburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.8%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±3.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Petersburgh and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
36.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
24.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Berlin and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,692±$15k 4% below U.S. |
$65,625±$7kLowest 19% below U.S. |
$80,313±$25kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Berlin and Petersburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $170,300±$23kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$210,400±$15k 37% below U.S. |
$214,600±$22kHighest 35% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$630 22% below U.S. |
$1,093±$58Lowest 23% below U.S. |
$1,160±$309Highest 18% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Petersburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,223Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$5,192Highest 66% above U.S. |
$3,518 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.2%±42.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.4%±10.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.7%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Petersburgh and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
50.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1947Lowest 33 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 30% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Berlin and Barre 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 | — | #19 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | BERLIN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| High school in town | — | Spaulding Union High School | BERLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL/HIGH SCHOOL |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Highest |
8.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.