South Portland, Maine Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
South 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 Above average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | South Portland | Maine Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,562 | 1,387,521 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1895.6 | 39.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.74% | 0.53% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.4 | 43.6 | 37.3 |
| Households | 11,972 | 597,020 | 130,235,071 |
Population in South Portland grew by 13.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 26,562 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in South Portland is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 22.1% of residents. That is 2.1 points above Maine as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 5,878 22.1% +3.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 5,879 22.1% +2.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 5,628 21.2% -0.9 pts
- Boomers 61–79 4,898 18.4% -3.1 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 52.3% of the people living in South Portland and men 47.7%.
- Women 52.3% Maine 50.9%
- Men 47.7% Maine 49.1%
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Economy
South Portland has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | South Portland | Maine Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $86,747 | $74,723 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.38% | 4.91% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in South Portland is about 16% higher than in Maine.
Housing
| Metric | South Portland | Maine Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $370,394 | $261,367 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,811 | $1,139 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 58.2% | 74.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in South Portland is about 17.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,811 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in South Portland spend about 31 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 129 hours, about 5.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | South Portland | Maine Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.5 | 20.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 31.0 | 41.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 129 | 173 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,001 | $5,372 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 19.5% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,055 | 4,904 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,412 | 1,015 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in South Portland is 15 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
South Portland has a education index of A, which means it is very educated.
| Metric | South Portland | Maine Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.8% | 31.9% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.14 | 2.25 | 2.53 |
Health
South Portland has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | South Portland | Maine Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.7 | 78.2 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 9.4% | 13.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 12.4% | 18.8% | 19.0% |
South Portland, ME Compared With Nearby Cities
How South Portland, ME compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Portland, ME | 26,562 | $86,747 #1/3 | $370,394 #1/3 | 15.5 min #1/3 |
| Westbrook, ME | 20,775 | $85,102 | $64,342 | 18.2 min |
| Portland, ME | 68,646 | $79,327 | $294,630 | 16.4 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about South Portland, Maine.
How many people live in South Portland, Maine?
About 26,562 people live in South Portland, Maine, in 11,972 households of 2.1 people on average. The median age is 41.4, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is South Portland, Maine mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, South Portland, Maine has 1,896 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 22 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in South Portland, Maine?
The median home costs 4.3 times the median household income ($370,394 against $86,747), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,811 a month takes about 25% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in South Portland, Maine?
Unemployment in South Portland, Maine is only 2.6%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in South Portland, Maine?
44.8% of adults in South Portland, Maine hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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