Compare towns
Petersburgh vs Berlin vs Bennington
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 most affordable homes ($170k median).
Berlin has the most kids (21.5% under 18).
Bennington has the shortest commute (17 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.
| Measure | Petersburgh | Berlin | Bennington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,310Lowest |
1,960 |
15,249Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.3±6.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
41.3±5.3Lowest 6% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3 15% above U.S. |
| Petersburgh and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Berlin and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.8%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bennington and Petersburgh 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% |
24.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Berlin and Bennington 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. |
$80,313±$25kHighest about the U.S. average |
$59,446±$7kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| 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. |
$214,600±$22kHighest 35% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15k 36% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,100±$630Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,160±$309Highest 18% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63 20% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Bennington 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. |
$3,518 13% above U.S. |
$4,513Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.2%±42.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
19.7%±17.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Petersburgh 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% |
6.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80% U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1964 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 13% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.9%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bennington 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 | — | — | #58 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | BERLIN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 |
| High school in town | — | BERLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL/HIGH SCHOOL | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.0Lowest |
14.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.