Portland, Maine Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Portland, ME Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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B
Income Around average
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Portland | Maine Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 68,646 | 1,387,521 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 988.6 | 39.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.37% | 0.53% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.0 | 43.6 | 37.3 |
| Households | 32,843 | 597,020 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Portland grew by 7.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 68,646 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Portland is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 25.9% of residents. That is 5.9 points above Maine as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 16,008 23.3% +4.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 17,797 25.9% +5.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 13,377 19.5% -2.6 pts
- Boomers 61–79 10,493 15.3% -6.2 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Maine, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.8% of the people living in Portland and men 48.2%.
- Women 51.8% Maine 50.9%
- Men 48.2% Maine 49.1%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Portland
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Economy
Portland has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Portland | Maine Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $79,327 | $74,723 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.49% | 4.91% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Portland is about 6% higher than in Maine.
Housing
| Metric | Portland | Maine Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $294,630 | $261,367 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,577 | $1,139 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 46.6% | 74.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Portland is about 15.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,577 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Portland spend about 33 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 136 hours, about 5.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Portland | Maine Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.4 | 20.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 32.7 | 41.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 136 | 173 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,224 | $5,372 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 24.7% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,983 | 4,904 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,481 | 1,015 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Portland is 16 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Maine.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Portland has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Portland | Maine Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.7% | 31.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.03 | 2.25 | 2.53 |
Health
Portland has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Portland | Maine Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.5 | 78.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 10.6% | 13.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 13.6% | 18.8% | 19.0% |
Portland, ME Compared With Nearby Cities
How Portland, ME compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, ME | 68,646 | $79,327 #2/2 | $294,630 #2/2 | 16.4 min #2/2 |
| South Portland, ME | 26,562 | $86,747 | $370,394 | 15.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Portland, Maine.
What is the population of Portland, Maine?
About 68,646 people live in Portland, Maine, in 32,843 households of 2.0 people on average. The median age is 36.0, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Portland, Maine mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Portland, Maine has 989 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 11 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Portland, Maine an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 3.7 times the median household income ($294,630 against $79,327), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,577 a month takes about 24% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How educated are people in Portland, Maine?
54.7% of adults in Portland, Maine hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 5 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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