The Town of Erwin is located in the southern end of Steuben County, next to the City of Corning. The Town is at the crossroads of the Southern Tier Expressway, NYS Route 17, and the major North/South Route 15. The Town of Erwin encompasses the Village of Painted Post. The Town is host to a variety of industry, commercial and residential developments, including two Fortune 500 companies, over 50 stores, and an 8 screen movie theater. It has a population of 7,227, including 1842 in the Village of Painted Post. The industrial park and the commercial/residential center of the Town are served by modern municipal sewer and water.

The Town Hall, located in the Village of Painted Post at 117 West Water Street, houses all major departments of the Town, except for Highway and Sewer/Water, which are within one mile of the Town Hall. The Town offers a wide variety of services including parks and recreation, senior citizens activities, and a museum of Indian artifacts. The majority of the Town is in the Corning-Painted Post School District.

The Town has an assessed value of over $423 million. It has an annual budget of approximately $4 million. The Town has over 55 miles of roads maintained by the Highway Department, which also provides such services as leaf pick-up, street sweeping and a yard waste drop off. There are several private garbage disposal companies which provide service to Town residents, and the County drop-off point for all garbage and recyclables is located in the Town.