Compare towns
Pownal vs Cornish 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
Pownal has the most people working from home (16.4%).
Cornish has the most expensive homes ($296k median).
Berlin has grown the fastest since 2010 (-1.3%).
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 | Pownal | Cornish | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265Highest |
1,816Lowest |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±9.1Lowest 26% above U.S. |
54±8.3Highest 39% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4 30% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±5.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Berlin and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±6.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pownal and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Berlin and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,163±$21kLowest 21% below U.S. |
$91,821±$2kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$86,691±$21k 7% above U.S. |
| Cornish and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,600±$32kLowest 23% below U.S. |
$296,000±$69kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$273,600±$31k 18% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $944±$139Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,221±$227Highest 14% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171 17% below U.S. |
| Cornish and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,560Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$5,796Highest 86% above U.S. |
$4,418 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pownal and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 20% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pownal and Cornish 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 | #67 of 70 in VT | — | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Cornish School District | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.