Portland, CT Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Portland, CT Summary

Cost of living in Portland research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Portland is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Connecticut, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Portland is 111, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Portland is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Portland ranks as the #25 cheapest in Connecticut out of 56.

  • Portland ranks as the #3,765 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Portland is $398,277.

  • The median income in Portland is $91,522.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
111
Portland's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Portland, CT?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Portland has an overall cost of living index of 111, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Connecticut, Portland has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Connecticut's index of 119.

The standard of living in Portland ranks as #25 most affordable out of the 56 places we measured in Connecticut. By definition, that implies Portland ranks as the #31 most expensive place in the Constitution State.

For more reading on life in Portland, check out:

25 out of 56
In Connecticut
3,765 out of 6,489
In America

Portland Cost Of Living Vs. Connecticut

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Portland. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Portland is 108.

  • The Groceries index in Portland is 103.

  • The Health index in Portland is 104.

  • The Housing index in Portland is 121.

  • The Transportation index in Portland is 97.

  • The Utilities index in Portland is 126.

Living Expense Portland Connecticut National Average
Overall 111 119 100
Services 108 109 100
Groceries 103 100 100
Health 104 110 100
Housing 121 137 100
Transportation 97 101 100
Utilities 126 131 100
For more reading on cost of living around Connecticut, check out:
Portland Cost of Living Vs. CT

Portland, CT Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Connecticut, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Portland is $398,277.

  • The Median Rent in Portland is $1,112.

  • The Median Income in Portland is $91,522.

  • The Home Value To Income in Portland is 4.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Portland is 0.15x.

Statistic Portland Connecticut United States
Median Home Value $398,277 $430,086 $303,400
Median Rent $1,112 $1,431 $1,348
Median Income $91,522 $93,760 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.4x 4.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.18x 0.21x
$398,277
Median Home Value
$1,112
Median Rent
$91,522
Median Income

Portland, CT Costs By Category

Detailed Portland Services Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Portland Connecticut
Shampoo $1.42 $1.28
Movie $12.85 $12.13
Bowling $18.33 $18
Haircut $33.78 $24.26
Beauty Salon $58.55 $45.56

Detailed Portland Groceries Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Portland Connecticut
Ground Beef $6.23 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.46 $1.57
Milk $4.73 $4.67
Potatoes $4.96 $4.93
Pizza $10.79 $12.09
Beer $10.49 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.65 $3.7

Detailed Portland Health Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Portland Connecticut
Optometrist $166.22 $125.68
Doctor $182.5 $135.78
Dentist $127.0 $113.29

Detailed Portland Transportation Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Portland Connecticut
Gasoline $3.34 $3.46
Tire Balancing $71.63 $59.92

Detailed Portland Utilities Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Portland Connecticut
All Electricity $302.09 $193.99
Phone $185.16 $192.25

Portland SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8
Affordability
8
Diversity
5
Safety
8.5
Amenities
8
Education
8
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Portland

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Portland. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • West Hartford, CT has a cost of living index of 124, 1.1x Portland.

  • Meriden, CT has a cost of living index of 104, 0.9x Portland.

  • Middletown, CT has a cost of living index of 110, 1.0x Portland.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Portland
West Hartford, CT 63,809 124 1.1x
Meriden, CT 60,418 104 0.9x
Middletown, CT 47,646 110 1.0x
Manchester, CT 36,561 105 0.9x
Newington, CT 30,551 114 1.0x
Wethersfield, CT 27,180 113 1.0x
North Haven, CT 24,177 124 1.1x
Kensington, CT 9,936 119 1.1x
Glastonbury Center, CT 7,860 123 1.1x

Articles About Connecticut

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