Port Jefferson is a quaint historic fishing town now a tony vacation spot for families seeking year-round activities on the North Shore of Long Island, N.Y.

Incorporated in 1963, the village of Port Jefferson is within the town borders of Brookhaven, N.Y. and has a population of 8,031 as of July 2009.

The village is home to quaint shops, restaurants and a town center hall that doubles as a culture and art gallery -- all set amid the setting of a Victorian seafaring town.

Port Jefferson comes alive with a number of events throughout the year including the annual Dickens Festival, celebrating Charles Dickens and his famous work, "A Christmas Carol." This holiday festival in December features trolley rides, street actors dressed in Victorian garb, music, house tours, a marketplace, horse and carriage rides and other attractions along its historic district and waterfront.

With a mean housing prices of $629,534 in 2009, the village charm is carried over in higher-value homes that much of New York.Median gross rent in Port Jefferson was $1,441 in 2009.

Household income was higher as well, with the median household income estimated at $102,548, and the rest of New York estimated at $54,659.

The attractive area even caught the eye of showman P.T. Barnum, who in 1873 bought land in an area of the village known as Brick Hill. Local legend has it Barnum wanted to use the land as a winter home for his circus, but in reality, Barnum was playing the part of real estate speculator. The village named a street after him to honor the showman.

Port Jefferson is a village securely rooted in its past and is progressing forward into its future with a growing tourist trade.