Is South Portland, ME a Good Place to Live?
South Portland is a small city of 26,656 in Maine, with a median household income of $82,489 and a 2.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 103 (US average = 100), which is 3% above the national average.
Strengths: South Portland stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether South Portland is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All South Portland city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 103.1South Portland's overall cost of living index is 103.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in South Portland costs roughly 3% more than the average American city.
| Metric | South Portland, ME | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $360,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,607 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.4% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $82,489 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeSouth Portland's violent crime rate is 63.1 per 100,000 residents — 83% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
South Portland is served primarily by South Portland Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 9.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | South Portland, ME | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | South Portland Public Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 5 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 9.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 49.1% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 96.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
South Portland sees average highs of 32.4°F in January and 79.5°F in July, with 48.1 inches of annual precipitation and 68.7 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | South Portland, ME |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 32.4°F |
| Average High — July | 79.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 68.7" |
Demographics
| Metric | South Portland, ME | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,656 | — |
| Median Age | 41.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 18.5 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 84.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 7.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.4% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 15.9% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 19.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in South Portland
South Portland, ME is covered by 2 ZIP codes: