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%

Powell$1,100/mo

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

Berlin$790/mo

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

PowellBerlin

Snow a year1″1″

January low30°F 29°F

July high88°F 88°F

Growing season (days)217d 204d

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

Outdoors & history

PowellBerlin

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land0%—

Settled—2018

Archive photos3 —

Community

PowellBerlin

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.

PowellAL BerlinAL

Powell ↔ Berlin54 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

PowellBerlin

People

Population 912Highest 887Lowest

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

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

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

Kids under 18 19.8%±6.3Lowest AL: 22.2% 23.8%±5.2Highest 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+ 13.7%±4.4Highest AL: 17.8% 13.3%±3.8Lowest 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+ 8.4%Lowest AL: 28.4% 12.9%Highest AL: 28.4%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $61,786±$5kLowest 3% below AL $70,982±$12kHighest 11% above 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 $116,400±$47kLowest 45% below AL $146,600±$17kHighest 30% 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 $931±$104Lowest 8% below AL $1,574±$560Highest 56% above AL

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

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

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 24.2%±58.1Lowest AL: 48.8% 25.4%±35.3Highest 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 30.8%Highest AL: 15.6% 15.4%Lowest AL: 15.6%

Housing

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

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

Getting to work

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

Work from home 1.7%±2.2Lowest AL: 8.8% 5.8%±7.2Highest 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 11.4%Highest 0%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.8 miLowest 21.3 miHighest

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

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

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BerlinFew work in Powell

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 1Highest 0Lowest

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

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.

Powell neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Powell’s Town Square.

Berlin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Berlin’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Powell and Berlin

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

Bordering Powell

+ Compare

Rainsville5,702 people · $230K homes

Towns like Powell

+ Compare

Cherokee1,120 people · $102K homes

+ Compare

Hobson City1,142 people · $108K homes

+ Compare

Red Level621 people · $101K homes

+ Compare

Addison649 people · $111K 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.

Powell vs Berlin

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 Powell and Berlin

Bordering Powell

Towns like Powell

Post to Powell

Check your email