Portland, ME Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Portland, ME 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 Maine, 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 122, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Portland is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Portland ranks as the #27 cheapest in Maine out of 30.
Portland ranks as the #4,541 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Portland is $559,108.
The median income in Portland is $76,174.
Table Of Contents
Portland's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Portland, ME?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Portland has an overall cost of living index of 122, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Maine, Portland has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Maine's index of 101.
The standard of living in Portland ranks as #27 most affordable out of the 30 places we measured in Maine. By definition, that implies Portland ranks as the #3 most expensive place in the Pine Tree State.
For more reading on life in Portland, check out:
In Maine
In America
Portland Cost Of Living Vs. Maine
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 102.
The Health index in Portland is 101.
The Housing index in Portland is 154.
The Transportation index in Portland is 107.
The Utilities index in Portland is 105.
| Living Expense | Portland | Maine | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 122 | 101 | 100 | |
| Services | 108 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 102 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 101 | 104 | 100 | |
| Housing | 154 | 90 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 107 | 108 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 105 | 105 | 100 | |
Portland, ME Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maine, 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 $559,108.
The Median Rent in Portland is $1,487.
The Median Income in Portland is $76,174.
The Home Value To Income in Portland is 7.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Portland is 0.23x.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Portland, ME Costs By Category
Detailed Portland Services Costs Vs. Maine
Detailed Portland Groceries Costs Vs. Maine
Detailed Portland Health Costs Vs. Maine
Detailed Portland Transportation Costs Vs. Maine
Detailed Portland Utilities Costs Vs. Maine
Portland SnackAbility
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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:
South Portland, ME has a cost of living index of 120, 1.0x Portland.
Saco, ME has a cost of living index of 117, 1.0x Portland.
Westbrook, ME has a cost of living index of 112, 0.9x Portland.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Portland, ME | 26,780 | 120 | 1.0x |
| Saco, ME | 20,636 | 117 | 1.0x |
| Westbrook, ME | 20,484 | 112 | 0.9x |
| Old Orchard Beach, ME | 9,150 | 109 | 0.9x |
| Gorham, ME | 7,365 | 121 | 1.0x |
| Yarmouth, ME | 6,293 | 128 | 1.0x |
