What stands out worked out from the figures below

Portage has the most expensive homes ($146k median).

Granger has the most people working from home (7.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Portage	Granger
People
Population	961Highest	614Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-13.7%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-3.5%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	36.9±4.7Lowest 7% below NY	39.7±8.9Highest about the NY average
	Granger and Portage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	29.1%±4.4Highest NY: 20.5%	27.5%±4.5Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Portage and Granger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	12.8%±3.3Lowest NY: 17.9%	19.1%±6.4Highest NY: 17.9%
	Granger and Portage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.1%Highest NY: 40.2%	19.1%Lowest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.1%±1.9Lowest NY: 7%	2.6%±2.8Highest NY: 7%
	Granger and Portage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$70,556±$27kHighest 18% below NY	$66,875±$14kLowest 22% below NY
	Portage and Granger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$145,600±$43kHighest 66% below NY	$125,000±$20kLowest 71% below NY
	Portage and Granger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,040±$313Highest 36% below NY	$588±$492Lowest 64% below NY
	Portage and Granger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,395Highest 48% below NY	$2,754Lowest 58% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	81.3%±42.4Highest NY: 52.1%	61.9%±89.3Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Portage and Granger are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.2%Lowest NY: 14%	13.5%Highest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.1%Highest NY: 54.3%	82.5%Lowest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 1 yr newer than NY	1983Highest 24 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 16% above NY	31 minLowest 5% below NY
Work from home	4.3%±3Lowest NY: 14.9%	7.7%±3.5Highest NY: 14.9%
	Granger and Portage are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

NY 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.