Compare towns
Pownal vs Petersburgh 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%).
Petersburgh has the most affordable homes ($170k 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 | Petersburgh | Berlin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,265Highest |
1,310Lowest |
2,880 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-10%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49±9.1Lowest 26% above U.S. |
51.3±6.3Highest 32% above U.S. |
50.6±2.4 30% above U.S. |
| Petersburgh 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% |
16%±3.8Lowest 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% |
23.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.8%±4.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Pownal and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
20%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.3%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Berlin and Petersburgh 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. |
$77,692±$15k 4% below U.S. |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above 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 | $256,600±$32k 23% below U.S. |
$170,300±$23kLowest 49% below U.S. |
$273,600±$31kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Berlin and Pownal 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. |
$1,100±$630 22% below U.S. |
$1,169±$171Highest 17% 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 | $3,560 14% above U.S. |
$3,223Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$4,418Highest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.4%±18.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.2%±42.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
41%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pownal and Petersburgh 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% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 20% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 13% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Pownal 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 | #67 of 70 in VT | — | #16 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.