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Moving. Simplified.
Wondering whether moving to Portland, Maine is a good idea? Well, let’s say that if you want to live somewhere trendy with popular art venues, scenic nature trails, and lots of delicious food, there is no place better than Portland and you’re on the right track.
For those who ask why Portland – there are many reasons - Overall low cost of living, great healthcare, a booming economy, excellent infrastructure, and a low population.
Despite being the largest city in Maine, Portland only has about 68,000 residents. This means you get to feel the small-town charm here, complemented by low traffic on the roads.
And for those who want to know Portland in and out, here’s our ultimate Portland moving directory where you’ll get every piece of information about the city. Climate, jobs, housing, economy, lifestyle, schools, crime, cost of living – you name it, we’ve got them.
So without wasting much time, let us dig into the facts about the largest city in Maine.
About 68,063 people reside in Portland and the density is 3,097 people per square mile. Despite being the largest city in Maine, the population is low here and interestingly 40 percent of all Maine residents live in the greater Portland metropolitan area. The median age in Portland is 36.1 and about 14.1% of the population is below the poverty line.
To know more about the city population, here is a quick breakdown.
The low population in Portland also contributes to the low traffic on the roads. As a result, you spend less time on Portland roads while commuting to the office and back. The average one-way commute in Portland is 19.1 minutes against the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Here’s how people in Portland commute daily.
Tip: While moving the home, safety of your belongings is the priority and you need a trustworthy mover at your side. Know the top-rated moving companies in Portland, ME.
Portland has a humid continental climate with cold, snowy, and often prolonged winters, and warm, relatively short summers. Winters are generally cold and snowy, with average temperatures ranging from 20-30 degrees. Summers are mild and cool, with temperatures typically between 50-70 degrees. It also rains heavily here, often causing floods.
Portland is one of the most sought-after moving places in Maine and you see a lot of movement every year. Have you wondered why?
Here are the accurate reasons.
Reading all the best things about Portland, you may be excited to pack your bags but we suggest you be patient to gauge both the pros and cons of moving to Portland before you make the final call.
And to help you, we’ve got both the pluses and minuses of living in Portland, ME.
While you are serious about your moving decision, the first concern would be accommodation.
You would need to find a place in a decent neighborhood, especially when you have a family moving with you. And knowing this, we’ve collated the best neighborhoods in Portland which will be beneficial. When you’ve got the best 10 neighborhoods, it becomes easier to search for a home.
Let’s take a look at the top 10 neighborhoods in Portland.
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Old Port | 1,293 | $328,500 |
| 2. | Black Cove | 3,202 | $374,281 |
| 3. | West End | 7,081 | $489,894 |
| 4. | Downtown | 1,854 | $447,868 |
| 5. | Parkside | 3,177 | $338,516 |
| 6. | North Deering | 6,590 | $314,812 |
| 7. | East End | 4,778 | $533,059 |
| 8. | Deering Center | 4,236 | $471,688 |
| 9. | West Bayside | 4,586 | $386,197 |
| 10. | Rosemont | 4,956 | $338,954 |
Tip:When you’ve got a home to move in Portland, ME, getting the best moving quote will be your goal. Request moving company quotes to save on moving cost.
Portland is expensive to live in. When you have a plan to move in here, be ready to shell out more for groceries, healthcare, transport, and groceries.
The average cost of living here is about 15% higher than the US average. And to help you, we’ve got a decent breakdown of the key elements that make up the city’s cost of living since you’re considering moving to Portland.
| Living Expense | Portland | Maine | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 111.9 | 97 | 100 |
| Grocery | 111.3 | 107.1 | 100 |
| Health | 90.5 | 96.5 | 100 |
| Housing | 149.1 | 103.45 | 100 |
| Median Home Cost | $451,000 | $334,000 | $338,100 |
| Utilities | 102.7 | 103.6 | 100 |
| Transportation | 76.4 | 79.2 | 100 |
| Miscellaneous | 114.3 | 92.2 | 100 |
Portland has no scarcity of jobs and instead the city has a projected job growth of 24.22%, which means you are right in your decisions to relocate to Portland.
The job market here shows a steady growth over the years and the unemployment is much lower than the US average. Some of the major industries include tourism, farming, manufacturing, and food processing.
Here are a few job stats in Portland which you may find helpful.
A simple breakdown of the city’s job market will benefit if you are moving here for job purposes.
| Employment Information | Portland, Maine | United States |
|---|---|---|
| The income per Cap | $32,221 | $31,177 |
| Household Income | $51,430 | $57,652 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2 | 6.0% |
| Recent Job Growth | -6.09% | -6.18% |
| Future Job Growth | 39.34% | 33.51% |
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Start My Quote NowWhile the city sees a growth in the number of jobs, it is natural for you to be curious to know the fast growing jobs here. This will help you analyze whether your area of career is easily available here. Fortunately, we’ve researched to prepare a list of fastest growing jobs in Portland and we hope you will benefit from this.
Here’s the list of 10 fast-growing jobs in Portland, ME.
| Rank | Job Title | Growth% | Average salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nurse practictioner | 124.6% | $99,140 |
| 2 | Physician assistant | 119.6% | $104,520 |
| 3 | Physical therapist | 117.3% | $75,280 |
| 4 | Software developer | 116.0% | $85,440 |
| 5 | Taxi driver | 115.7% | $25,400 |
| 6 | Business analyst | 115.2% | $81,220 |
| 7 | Occupational therapist | 114.6% | $64,620 |
| 8 | Home health aid | 113.3% | $24,620 |
| 9 | Information technology manager | 110.5% | $115,770 |
| 10 | Medical assistant | 107.5% | $32,760 |
When you know that Portland records positive job growth and it is expected to continue in the coming years, you would be interested to know the best job options or the profiles that offer good salaries. Do not worry as we’ve got a list of 10 top-paying jobs in Portland.
| Rank | Job Title | Average salary | Entry level salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psychiatrist | $210,100 | $128,720 |
| 2 | Internists, general | $208,970 | $115,670 |
| 3 | Dentists, general | $195,120 | $109,530 |
| 4 | Physicians and surgeons, all other | $179,620 | $54,360 |
| 5 | Pediatricians, general | $178,430 | $118,790 |
| 6 | Family & general practitioners | $173,300 | $106,550 |
| 7 | Chief executives | $169,570 | $57,900 |
| 8 | Nurse anesthetists | $152,940 | $127,610 |
| 9 | Personal financial advisors | $150,710 | $42,030 |
| 10 | Pharmacists | $122,110 | $88,230 |
Any salary above $47,000 is a good salary in Portland as you will be earning more than what about half of the residents earn. The average salary here is $54,523. To help you get an idea about how much you need to earn to have a decent living in Portland, we’ve collated the figures below.
It is always good to know the major industries in Portland before you decide to move in. This will help you decide whether our job experience and qualification makes you a good fit in the city. Here’s a list of major industries in Portland.
Once you’re in Portland and searching for a job, your priority will be employee-friendly companies and fortunately, the city has many such ones. Maybe having their names in hand will make things easier while job hunting. And knowing this, we’ve got a list of the 10 best companies to work in Portland.
Here are the 10 best companies to work for in Portland.
Finding an affordable house can be a concern in Portland as accommodation is more expensive here than most neighboring cities. You need to be ready to spend approximately about $451,000to buy a house here in a decent neighborhood which is much higher than the national average. And the housing costs are further shooting up in recent years by about 17.35%. And this makes finding a good home in a decent neighborhood a tough task.
Here are a few latest housing stats that may help you.
The home rental, just as the home cost, is higher than the national average. However, you have no option to escape from this as a rented accommodation will be the primary choice in the initial days in Portland. And the home rent will be a major factor contributing to the cost of living. Having an idea about home rental in advance would make things easier.
Knowing the different taxes levied by the administration in Portland is crucial when you calculate the take-home salary as this is based on the cuts the authorities make.
To help you, we’ve listed down the highlights of state tax in Portland, Maine.
With its jagged cliffs, crashing waves, and historic white-towered lighthouses, Portland is more like a postcard city, and living here will give you the opportunity to explore each wonder every weekend or a holiday.
Interestingly, we’ve got the 10 best things to do in Portland which we’re sure you will appreciate.
Here are the 10 best things to do in Portland.
Portland records significantly lower crimes than most US cities. As per the stats, the city is much safer than 22% of US neighborhoods and about 40% of the residents here feel utmost safe. As per the recent data, your chance of becoming a violent crime victim is 1 in 449 in Portland which makes it a good option to move in.
Here, we’ve got the latest crime data, based on which you can decide whether to move to Portland.
Tip:Often, you feel like calculating the moving cost before you connect with a moving company. To help you, we've got a free moving cost calculator.
When you are packing bags to Portland with the family, the education of the children can be a great concern but when the new location is Portland, things will be easier.
You’ve got some good schools and colleges here and education won’t be a concern at all. And to help you, we’ve filtered down the best schools and colleges in Portland. Take a look at our list.
Longfellow School - Portland
Public, K-5 | 329 students| Ratings: 9/10
Ocean Avenue
Public, K-5| 355 students| Ratings: 8/10
Harrison Lyseth Elementary School
Public, K-5 | 513 students| Ratings: 7/10
Presumpscot School
Public, K-5 | 245 students| Ratings: 5/10
Gerald E Talbot Community School
Public, K-5 | 430 students| Ratings: 5/10
Lincoln Middle School
Public, 6-8 | 529 students| Ratings: 7/10
Lyman Moore Middle School
Public, 6-8 | 460 students| Ratings: 6/10
King Middle School
Public, 6-8 | 497 students| Ratings: 5/10
Baxter Academy for Tech & Sciences
Public, 9-12 | 404 students| Ratings: 8/10
Deering High School
Public, 9-12 | 939 students| Ratings: 8/10
Casco Bay High School
Public, 9-12 | 390 students| Ratings: 6/10
Portland High School
Public, 9-12 | 774 students| Ratings: 5/10
Portland Arts & Technology High School
Public, 9-12 | 290 students| Ratings: 4/10
University of Southern Maine
Maine College of Arts & Design
Maine College of Health Professions
Bowdoin College
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