Lewiston vs Portland
Lewiston, Maine versus Portland, Maine: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lewiston and Portland score about the same overall (50 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lewiston | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $54k | $71k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $59k |
| Home Value | $190k | $412k |
| Monthly Rent | $903 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.48% | 1.30% |
| Income Tax | 7.10% | 7.10% |
| Sales Tax | 5.50% | 5.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.09% | 16.41% |
| Unemployment | 5.6% | 4.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 21°F | 23°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 69°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.2 in | 50.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 65.1 in | 68.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 221 days | 218 days |
| Summer Humidity | 59°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 89 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 16.6 | 10.3 |
| Air Quality | 31 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 70.6 | 84.9 |
| Violent Crime | 1181/100k | 1089/100k |
| Property Crime | 1938/100k | 1695/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 37,577 | 68,280 |
| Median Age | 39.5 | 37.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.33 | 0.31 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+37 |
| White (%) | 80.0% | 81.8% |
| Black (%) | 10.8% | 8.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.7% | 2.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.2% | 3.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.3% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 9.1/20 | 15.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 126 mi | 99 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.4% | 89.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 29.01 | 55.80 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
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 Lewiston or Portland more affordable?
- Lewiston has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Lewiston's $49k and Portland's $59k. Median rent is $903 in Lewiston versus $1k in Portland.
- Is Lewiston or Portland safer?
- Portland has the lower violent crime rate. Lewiston reports 1181/100k and Portland reports 1089/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lewiston or Portland?
- The median home value is $190k in Lewiston and $412k in Portland, so homes are more affordable in Lewiston.