Portland, Maine
Among the top 11% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 17% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 41% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 72% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 89% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 45% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 1% for natural disaster risk
- bottom 7% for annual snowfall
Portland is a mid-size city in Maine with about 68,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and D for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, natural disaster risk, and sales tax. It rates lower on cost of living and annual snowfall.
Official websiteportlandmaine.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Wet · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
cold
v.cold
69%52%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.6 in3.9 in
humid 64%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$71k63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$59kbetter than 13% of US places
Home Value$412k87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 20% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 18% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.30%better than 34% of US places
Income Tax7.10%better than 22% of US places
Sales Tax5.50%better than 94% of US places
Estimated total tax burden16.41%better than 13% of US places
Unemployment4.0%better than 49% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)23°F17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)70°F14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation50.5 in80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall68.7 inbetter than 7% of US places
Sunny Days218 daysbetter than 36% of US places
Summer Humidity60°Fbetter than 73% of US places
Comfortable Days89 daysbetter than 68% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk10.3better than 99% of US places
Air Quality43 AQIbetter than 65% of US places
School Quality84.9better than 79% of US places
Violent Crime1089/100kbetter than 32% of US places
Property Crime1695/100kbetter than 26% of US places
Community
Population68,28098th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.634th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3164th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9440th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+377th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)81.8%44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)8.6%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.3%42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.4%87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.0%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 87% of US places
Walkability15.1/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance99 mibetter than 37% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.4%better than 62% of US places
Amenities Nearby55.80better than 42% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 43% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Portland an affordable place to live?
- Portland is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $59k, better than 13% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Portland?
- The median home value in Portland is $412k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Portland?
- Median household income in Portland is $71k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Portland?
- Median gross rent in Portland is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Portland safe?
- Portland is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1089/100k (better than 32%). Property crime is 1695/100k.
- What is the weather like in Portland?
- Portland averages 70°F in July and 23°F in January, with 50.5 in of annual precipitation and about 218 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Portland?
- Public-school quality in Portland is above average, scoring better than 79% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Portland?
- The average one-way commute in Portland is 20 min.
Other places in Cumberland County
Places near Portland
Compare Portland
Explore Maine
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)