Portland vs South Portland
Portland, Maine versus South Portland, Maine: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Portland and South Portland score about the same overall (48 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Portland | South Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $71k | $82k |
| Cost of Living | $59k | $59k |
| Home Value | $412k | $360k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.30% | 1.11% |
| Income Tax | 7.10% | 7.10% |
| Sales Tax | 5.50% | 5.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.41% | 13.76% |
| Unemployment | 4.0% | 2.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 23°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.5 in | 48.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 68.7 in | 68.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 218 days | 218 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 90 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 10.3 | 17.2 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 40 AQI |
| School Quality | 84.9 | 59.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1089/100k | 689/100k |
| Property Crime | 1695/100k | 1815/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 68,280 | 26,656 |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 41.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.31 | 0.28 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | D+37 | D+37 |
| White (%) | 81.8% | 83.5% |
| Black (%) | 8.6% | 6.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.3% | 2.8% |
| Asian (%) | 3.4% | 2.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 4.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 15.1/20 | 13.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 99 mi | 94 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.4% | 90.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 55.80 | 169.94 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 Portland or South Portland more affordable?
- South Portland has the lower cost of living: its index is $59k, compared with Portland's $59k and South Portland's $59k. Median rent is $1k in Portland versus $2k in South Portland.
- Is Portland or South Portland safer?
- South Portland has the lower violent crime rate. Portland reports 1089/100k and South Portland reports 689/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Portland or South Portland?
- The median home value is $412k in Portland and $360k in South Portland, so homes are more affordable in South Portland.