Residential comparison · 13 facts
Portland, ME vs South 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 Portland needs about $78,500 in South Portland to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from South Portland, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $92,000 in Portland.
A few differences
- South Portland is lower on property tax rate (1.24% vs 1.3%).
- South Portland is lower on groceries index (103 vs 107).
- South Portland is higher on median household income ($86,838 vs $69,000).
Portland vs South Portland · facet by facet
| Facet | Portland, ME | South Portland, ME |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $520,000 | $441,200 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,000/mo | $2,087/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.3% | 1.24% |
| State & local income tax | 3.85% | 3.85% |
| Sales tax | 5.5% | 5.5% |
| Cost of living index | 113 | 114 |
| Groceries index | 107 | 103 |
| Utilities | $200/mo | $200/mo |
| Median household income | $69,000 | $86,838 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 3.1% |
| Crime index | 32/100 | 22/100 |
| School rating | 7.0/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 203 days | 200 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: Portland, ME · South Portland, ME
Questions & answers
- Is Portland cheaper than South Portland?
- Portland has the lower day-to-day cost index (113 vs 114 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in South Portland equals $85,000 in Portland?
- A household earning $85,000 in Portland needs about $78,500 in South Portland to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of South Portland lifestyle costs about $92,000 in Portland.