Utility poles in United States
Tall wood and drum transformers
A tall wooden pole with a crossarm and a grey drum transformer is the standard American look.
- Tall wooden poles with wooden crossarms at the top.
- Round grey drum transformers hanging off the side.
- Green street-name signs often fixed to the pole. Canada looks very similar.
17 photos, grouped by the clue they show.
Key clue Wooden crossarm 10
Key clue Drum transformer 5
Key clue Green street sign 2
United States: what its poles look like
The classic American utility pole is a tall wooden pole, usually dark from wood treatment, with one or more wooden crossarms near the top. Power lines run along the top and phone and cable lines hang lower down.
The giveaway is often the grey drum transformer: a round metal can hanging off the side of the pole. Street lights on long arms and green street-name signs fixed to the pole are common too.
Wooden poles with drum transformers are found across most of the country, in suburbs and the countryside alike. Some newer neighbourhoods have their lines underground, and in parts of the South and West you may also see concrete or steel poles.
Look-alikes: how to tell them apart
United States vs 
Canada
Mexico
Canada uses almost the same poles, so look at the context: US speed limits are in mph, Canada uses km/h, and Quebec has French signs. Mexico tends to use grey tapered concrete poles rather than wood.
Questions about poles in United States
What are American utility poles made of?
Most are wood, treated against rot and insects. You also see concrete and steel poles, especially along big roads and in areas with storms or wildfires.
What is the round can on American poles?
It is a pole-mounted transformer that lowers the voltage for nearby houses. These grey drum transformers are one of the most common sights in American streets.