Portland, ME
Census place 2360545 · pop 68,854
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
46.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,407/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$489,600 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
2228 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.46 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.14% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
242 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
91.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
11.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+3.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$79,540 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
85/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
7.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
19 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
37 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
27.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.7% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
17.1% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
59.7% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Frequently asked
- Is Portland, ME a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Portland scores 54/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is bachelor's degree or higher and its weakest is homeownership. Maine overall ranks #13 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Portland, ME?
- Portland reports 242 violent crimes per 100k and 2228 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Portland, ME expensive to live in?
- Portland has a median home value of $489,600 and typical rent around $2,407/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Portland, ME?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (46.9%) — 11/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Portland, ME best at?
- Its strongest measured area is bachelor's degree or higher (59.7%) — 90/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Maine's largest city and the birthplace of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.