Compare towns
West Burke vs Berlin vs Pittsfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Burke has the most renters (38.7% rent).
Berlin has the highest household income ($87k).
Pittsfield has the most people working from home (28.1%).
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 | West Burke | Berlin | Pittsfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 161Lowest |
2,880Highest |
391 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -1.3%Highest VT: +2.8% |
-7.7%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 59.2±16.3Highest 37% above VT |
50.6±2.4Lowest 17% above VT |
53.8±3.5 25% above VT |
| West Burke and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.8%±10.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.6%±4.2Highest VT: 17.9% |
13.6%±8.4 VT: 17.9% |
| Berlin and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.1%±13.2Highest VT: 21.4% |
26.8%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
30.4%±7.1 VT: 21.4% |
| West Burke and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.7% VT: 43.8% |
28.5%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
45.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±3.3Highest VT: 7% |
3.9%±2.9 VT: 7% |
2.8%±3.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| West Burke and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $27,321±$15kLowest 66% below VT |
$86,691±$21kHighest 7% above VT |
$65,852±$12k 19% below VT |
| Berlin and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,000±$60k 13% below VT |
$273,600±$31kLowest 14% below VT |
$313,300±$73kHighest about the VT average |
| Pittsfield and West Burke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $525±$373Lowest 57% below VT |
$1,169±$171Highest 5% below VT |
$1,035±$140 16% below VT |
| Berlin and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,194Lowest 37% below VT |
$4,418 12% below VT |
$5,181Highest about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.8%±31.3Highest VT: 48.4% |
41%±19.9 VT: 48.4% |
35.6%±43Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| West Burke and Berlin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 20.5%Highest VT: 10.1% |
10.9% VT: 10.1% |
8.4%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.3%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
87.9%Highest VT: 73.2% |
76.2% VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1979Highest 3 yrs newer than VT |
1977 1 yr newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% above VT |
21 min 10% below VT |
19 minLowest 18% below VT |
| Work from home | 20%±10.4 VT: 16.9% |
11.7%±3.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
28.1%±24.1Highest VT: 16.9% |
| Pittsfield and West Burke 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 | — | #16 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT 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.