Portage vs Waterville
Portage, Ohio versus Waterville, Ohio: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Portage edges out Waterville on overall objective livability (60 vs 53 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Portage | Waterville |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $52k | $101k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $43k |
| Home Value | $108k | $257k |
| Monthly Rent | $843 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $72 | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.46% | 1.56% |
| Income Tax | 3.50% | 3.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.24% | 7.24% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.91% | 9.84% |
| Unemployment | 19.0% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 27°F | 27°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.2 in | 36.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 21.3 in | 37.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 215 days | 215 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 94 days | 90 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 34.6 | 30.6 |
| Air Quality | 41 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 48.4 | 40.4 |
| Violent Crime | 386/100k | 531/100k |
| Property Crime | 913/100k | 515/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 445 | 5,980 |
| Median Age | 46.5 | 40.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.58 | 0.24 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.21 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 60.7% | 84.2% |
| Black (%) | 17.3% | 0.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 20.7% | 7.5% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 1.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 1.3% | 6.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | — | 27 min |
| Walkability | 7.2/20 | 7.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 64 mi | 53 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.7% | 94.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 2404.49 | 71.91 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Portage or Waterville more affordable?
- Waterville has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Portage's $43k and Waterville's $43k. Median rent is $843 in Portage versus $1k in Waterville.
- Is Portage or Waterville safer?
- Portage has the lower violent crime rate. Portage reports 386/100k and Waterville reports 531/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Portage or Waterville?
- The median home value is $108k in Portage and $257k in Waterville, so homes are more affordable in Portage.