Living in South Portland, ME
Small city in Maine
South Portland is a small city in Maine, home to about 27,000 people, with 285,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is South Portland a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Mild summers: highs around 77°F
- Great outdoors: coast or a lake close by
- Safe: violent crime is 0.5× the US rate (FBI 2019)
- Dog-friendly: 8 dog parks within 9 mi
👎 Cons
- Cloudier than most places
- Smaller job market: about 285,000 people live within 31 mi
- Higher taxes: about $1,982 state income tax per resident, 1.02% property tax
- Fewer family amenities than most places
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how South Portland ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in South Portland: common questions
What is the cost of living in South Portland?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $537k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,590 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 102, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in South Portland?
Maine collects about $1,982 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.02% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is South Portland safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.5× in FBI 2019 data).
How are the schools in South Portland?
Public schools in South Portland test close to the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 13 students per teacher.
What is the weather like in South Portland?
South Portland has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 35°F and summer days around 77°F, with roughly 69″ of snow a year.
Does South Portland get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and hurricanes: 10 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.36 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to South Portland?
The nearest major airport is PWM, about 1 mi away.
How South Portland scores
Each bar compares South Portland with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
Places like South Portland
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.
The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).
Nearby
See all the best places to live in Maine.
Is South Portland right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.