What stands out worked out from the figures below

Portage has the youngest population (median age 36.9).

Steuben has the most people working from home (20.1%).

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.

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

Measure	Portage	Steuben
People
Population	961Highest	828Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-13.7%Lowest NY: +4.2%	-1.7%Highest NY: +4.2%
Median age	36.9±4.7Lowest 7% below NY	40.3±7.1Highest about the NY average
	Steuben 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%	27.2%±3.9Lowest NY: 20.5%
	Portage and Steuben 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%	24.5%±3.6Highest NY: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	20.1%Lowest NY: 40.2%	21%Highest NY: 40.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.1%±1.9Lowest NY: 7%	1.4%±1.1Highest NY: 7%
	Steuben 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	$66,181±$15kLowest 23% below NY
	Portage and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$145,600±$43kLowest 66% below NY	$151,600±$22kHighest 64% below NY
	Steuben and Portage 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	$850±$204Lowest 48% below NY
	Portage and Steuben 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	$2,641Lowest 60% below NY
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	81.3%±42.4Highest NY: 52.1%	29.8%±59.9Lowest NY: 52.1%
	Portage and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.2%Highest NY: 14%	11.6%Lowest NY: 14%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.1%Lowest NY: 54.3%	85%Highest NY: 54.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1960Lowest 1 yr newer than NY	1984Highest 25 yrs newer than NY
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	38 minHighest 16% above NY	28 minLowest 16% below NY
Work from home	4.3%±3Lowest NY: 14.9%	20.1%±6.8Highest NY: 14.9%
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.