What stands out worked out from the figures below

Steuben has the most affordable homes ($174k median).

Brownfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.1%).

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	Steuben	Brownfield
People
Population	1,388Lowest	1,830Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+2.1%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	40.1±8.5Highest 10% below ME	39.9±6.8Lowest 11% below ME
	Steuben and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1%	26.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Brownfield and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	15.9%±1Lowest ME: 22.4%	18.5%±1.3Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	18.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%	25.3%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8%	0.7%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$76,466±$4kHighest about the ME average	$60,889±$5kLowest 19% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME	$287,500±$36kHighest 3% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$678±$319Lowest 40% below ME	$1,617±$554Highest 42% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,029Lowest 33% below ME	$2,976Highest about the ME average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	26.3%±87.8Lowest ME: 48.4%	61.8%±43.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	Brownfield and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%	8.1%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.4%Highest ME: 74.3%	87.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME	1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 14% above ME	44 minHighest 80% above ME
Work from home	11.8%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9%	9.5%±4.5Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Steuben and Brownfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 24	RSU 72/MSAD 72
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

ME 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.