The Town FilesPortage, Pennsylvania
Township in Cambria County · population 3,432 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $124,700
- Household income
- $63,224
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 80 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 53.4
Portage is a township of 3,432 people in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. The median home is worth $124,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). It ranks better for families than 89% of Pennsylvania towns, more of a college town than 88% of Pennsylvania towns, better for retirees than 76% of Pennsylvania towns.
How Portage ranks
Percentile among Pennsylvania towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Pennsylvania towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Portage is worth $124,700, below the typical Pennsylvania town ($214,250). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $63,224, which is more affordable than 89% of Pennsylvania towns. Median rent is $638 a month. 85.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Portage | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $124,700 | $214,250 |
| Median rent | $638 | $996 |
| Median household income | $63,224 | $75,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 85.8% | 81.5% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1971 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Portage
| People | Portage | Typical Pennsylvania town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.4 | 44.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 34.3% | 21.1% |
| Under 18 | 17.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.3% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.6% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 10.6% |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 25.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.5% | 89.0% |
Weather in Portage
July highs average 78.7°F and January lows 15.9°F. About 48.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 79.7 inches of snow (typical Pennsylvania town: 31.8 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Portage since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Pennsylvania town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 19, 1996 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 13, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on May 15, 2018.
Severe weather in Cambria County since 1996
Cambria County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 11, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4815: Tropical Storm Debby |
| March 30, 2020 | Biological | DR-4506: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3441: Covid-19 |
| October 29, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3356: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 8, 2011 | Flood | EM-3340: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Cambria County
Cambria County had 47,545 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,791 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Portage itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Towns near Portage
- Cresson, PA5.8 mi · 2,839 people · home $167,100
- Adams, PA8.2 mi · 5,752 people · home $172,500
- Ebensburg, PA8.4 mi · 3,404 people · home $174,700
- Greenfield, PA8.8 mi · 3,788 people · home $162,500
- Cambria, PA9.3 mi · 5,814 people · home $183,100
- Freedom, PA9.9 mi · 3,002 people · home $150,500
- Allegheny, PA10.4 mi · 6,585 people · home $169,300
- Allegheny, PA11.0 mi · 2,815 people · home $249,600
Portage questions
Is Portage, Pennsylvania a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Portage scores better for retirees than 76% of Pennsylvania towns and quieter than 57%. 34.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.4).
How much does a house cost in Portage?
The median owner-occupied home in Portage is valued at $124,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,224, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $638 a month.
What is the weather like in Portage?
July highs average 78.7°F and January lows 15.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.7 inches of precipitation a year and 79.7 inches of snow.
Does Portage get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Portage since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 19, 1996. The typical Pennsylvania town has had 10.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)