City profile · Maine · Census ACS 2023

South Portland, ME

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for South Portland - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

26,780
Residents
$84,563
Median income
$405,800
Median home
$1,833
Median rent (state)

South Portland - the verdict

South Portland ranks in the 66th percentile for household income and the 48th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

66th
percentile, household income
78th
percentile, home value
77th
percentile, median rent
48th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: South Portland, ME

South Portland is a small city in Maine, home to 26,780 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $84,563 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 2.3%. Home values in South Portland run a median of $405,800, and the median resident age is 40.7 years. 49.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 70.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 33 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 85% from five years earlier. South Portland reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1433.3 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Maine tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 97.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,833 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Maine run around $273, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 77.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

26,780 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Maine

Median Household Income

$84,563 /yr

Poverty 2.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Maine average

How does South Portland compare to other US cities?

South Portland measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 66% higher than other cities
Home value 78% pricier than other cities
Median rent 77% pricier than other cities
Safety 48% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Maine and the picture shifts: South Portland ranks #51 of 73 Maine cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below South Portland's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Maine, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

66thIncome percentile
48thSafety percentile

66th percentile nationally for median household income · 48th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

South Portland's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

South Portland's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 46 Avg. percentile National median
South Portland's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How South Portland's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$405,800 22nd percentile more affordable than 22% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. South Portland $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - South Portland, ME South Portland, ME's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not South Portland, ME-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution South Portland, ME median $84,563/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
South Portland, ME's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for South Portland, ME. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 49.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 70.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
26,780
Median Income
$84,563
Median Home Value
$405,800
Median Age
40.7
Poverty Rate
2.3%
Labor force participation
70.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
49.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1433.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
63.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1370.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
26,400 residents26,600 residents26,800 residents27,000 residents27,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 26,576 residents 27,007 residents ▲ +1.6%
South Portland's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
33
housing units authorized
Single-Family
22
detached homes
Multifamily
11
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 222
2020 275
2021 85
2022 20
2023 40
2024 33

Permit volume decreased 85% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.9%
Carpool
4.5%
Public Transit
1.1%
Walk
4.0%
Work from Home
15.9%
Other
2.6%

Based on 16,040 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Maine - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$95
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$273
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Maine state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Maine state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county South Portland sits in

Cost of Living Index
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,833/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
77.0 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Maine

Auburn
24,294 people
Biddeford
22,463 people
Sanford
22,095 people
Bangor
31,663 people
Saco
20,636 people
Westbrook
20,484 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to South Portland's 26,780 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Camas, WA
26,779 people
Vernon Hills, IL
26,772 people
Ewa Gentry, HI
26,738 people
Cabot, AR
26,733 people
Lutz, FL
26,731 people
Batavia, IL
26,730 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to South Portland's $84,563 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lodi, NJ
$84,570 median income
Wallingford Center, CT
$84,554 median income
Buckner, MO
$84,572 median income
Pocasset, MA
$84,544 median income
Cantrall, IL
$84,583 median income
Hillsdale, IL
$84,583 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - South Portland, ME Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition South Portland, ME - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.6% 6.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.3% White 83.6% Black or African American 6.9% Asian 2.8% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.9% Two or more races 5.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How South Portland compares to nearby Maine cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
South Portland (this city) 26,780 $84,563
Auburn 24,294 $66,552
Biddeford 22,463 $69,794
Sanford 22,095 $70,570
Census ACS 5-year FIPS ME FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about South Portland, ME?

What is the population of South Portland, ME? +

South Portland, ME has a population of 26,780 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in South Portland, ME? +

In South Portland, the typical household earns $84,563 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in South Portland? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for South Portland; the closest available measure is the Maine state average, a cost of living index of 97.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Maine vary by metro area.

Is South Portland, ME safe? +

South Portland has a total crime rate of 1433.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in South Portland, ME? +

The median home value in South Portland is $405,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.