Portland vs South Windham
Portland, Maine versus South Windham, Maine: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
South Windham edges out Portland on overall objective livability (54 vs 48 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Portland | South Windham |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $71k | — |
| Cost of Living | $59k | $59k |
| Home Value | $412k | — |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | — |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $15k | $135 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.30% | — |
| Income Tax | 7.10% | 7.10% |
| Sales Tax | 5.50% | 5.50% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.41% | — |
| Unemployment | 4.0% | 8.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 23°F | 23°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.5 in | 50.5 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 | 86 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 10.3 | 14.9 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 84.9 | 71.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1089/100k | 569/100k |
| Property Crime | 1695/100k | 1070/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 68,280 | 834 |
| Median Age | 37.6 | 36.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.31 | 0.38 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 3.19 |
| Political Leaning | D+37 | D+37 |
| White (%) | 81.8% | 75.5% |
| Black (%) | 8.6% | 7.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.3% | 2.4% |
| Asian (%) | 3.4% | 0.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 14.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | — |
| Walkability | 15.1/20 | 7.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 99 mi | 99 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.4% | 88.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 55.80 | 443.65 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
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 Windham more affordable?
- South Windham has the lower cost of living: its index is $59k, compared with Portland's $59k and South Windham's $59k.
- Is Portland or South Windham safer?
- South Windham has the lower violent crime rate. Portland reports 1089/100k and South Windham reports 569/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).