Residential comparison · 13 facts
Bangor, ME vs Portland, ME
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Bangor needs about $98,500 in Portland to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Portland, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $71,500 in Bangor.
A few differences
- Bangor is lower on property tax rate (1.24% vs 1.3%).
- Bangor is lower on groceries index (103 vs 107).
- Portland is higher on median household income ($69,000 vs $59,942).
Bangor vs Portland · facet by facet
| Facet | Bangor, ME | Portland, ME |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $219,600 | $520,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,138/mo | $2,000/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.24% | 1.3% |
| State & local income tax | 3.85% | 3.85% |
| Sales tax | 5.5% | 5.5% |
| Cost of living index | 88 | 113 |
| Groceries index | 103 | 107 |
| Utilities | $200/mo | $200/mo |
| Median household income | $59,942 | $69,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 2.9% |
| Crime index | 22/100 | 32/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 7.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 200 days | 203 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Bangor, ME · Portland, ME
Questions & answers
- Is Bangor cheaper than Portland?
- Bangor has the lower day-to-day cost index (88 vs 113 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Portland equals $85,000 in Bangor?
- A household earning $85,000 in Bangor needs about $98,500 in Portland to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Portland lifestyle costs about $71,500 in Bangor.