Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Portland, ME

    Is Portland a good place to live?

    Watch Portland

    Portland ranks #4 of 4 Maine cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (42/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.3% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $452,600
    +10.0% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,487
    per month
    Household income
    $76,174
    median
    Unemployment
    4.4%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Portland

    The median home value in Portland is $452,600 and median rent is $1,487 a month, against a median household income of $76,174. Homes cost about 5.9× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Portland crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Maine the 2025 rate was 95 violent and 962 property crimes per 100,000 people — #48 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Portland, ME

    Portland has about 68,505 residents, 4.4% unemployment and 35% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Portland with

    Portland vs LewistonPortland vs BangorPortland vs South Portland

    More: Where to move in Maine · Best counties in Maine

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report