City profile · Tennessee · Census ACS 2023

Portland, TN

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

13,325
Residents
$72,380
Median income
$256,400
Median home
$1,730
Median rent (state)

Portland - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Portland lands in the 53rd percentile for household income and the 71st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

53rd
percentile, household income
57th
percentile, home value
70th
percentile, median rent
71st
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: Portland, TN

13,325 people live in Portland, Tennessee - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Portland households earn a median of $72,380 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.0%. Home values in Portland run a median of $256,400, and the median resident age is 33.7 years. About 14.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 69.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 37 residential building permits were authorized in Portland (Construction Slowdown), down 59% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Portland reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 832.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Tennessee run below the national norm: the state registers 91.9 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,730 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Tennessee run around $218, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Portland workers runs 25.9 minutes, with 79.5% driving alone and 8.3% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 87.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

13,325 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Tennessee

Median Household Income

$72,380 /yr

Poverty 8.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

91.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Tennessee average

How does Portland compare to other US cities?

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 53% higher than other cities
Home value 57% pricier than other cities
Median rent 70% pricier than other cities
Safety 71% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Tennessee alone, Portland ranks #37 of 174 Tennessee cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Portland against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Tennessee only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Tennessee-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Portland toward the top of Tennessee's cities

Among the 482 Tennessee cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Portland ranks #1 - the 86th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Portland only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#117 of 458
74th percentile in Tennessee
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 482
86th percentile in Tennessee
Median Home Value
#113 of 455
75th percentile in Tennessee
Poverty Rate
#284 of 482
41st percentile in Tennessee
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#289 of 482
39th percentile in Tennessee

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Tennessee only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

53rdIncome percentile
71stSafety percentile

53rd percentile nationally for median household income · 71st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Portland's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

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 54 Avg. percentile National median
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 Portland's home value compares nationally

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

$256,400 43rd percentile more affordable than 43% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $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. 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 - Portland, TN Portland, TN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Portland, TN-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 Portland, TN median $72,380/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%
Portland, TN'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 Portland, TN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 69.7%

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

Population
13,325
Median Income
$72,380
Median Home Value
$256,400
Median Age
33.7
Poverty Rate
8.0%
Labor force participation
69.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
832.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
372.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
459.8
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
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
13,000 residents13,200 residents13,400 residents13,600 residents13,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 13,190 residents 13,658 residents ▲ +3.5%
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)
37
housing units authorized
Single-Family
27
detached homes
Multifamily
10
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 91
2020 94
2021 105
2022 53
2023 37
2024 37

Permit volume decreased 59% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
25.9 minutes
Drive Alone
79.5%
Carpool
9.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.4%
Work from Home
8.3%
Other
2.0%

Based on 6,952 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$120
avg/month
Natural Gas
$58
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$218
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Tennessee 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 Tennessee state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Portland sits in

Cost of Living Index
91.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,730/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
87.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Tennessee

Soddy-Daisy
13,117 people
Powell
13,544 people
McMinnville
13,765 people
White House
13,875 people
Manchester
12,651 people
Lewisburg
12,607 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Portland's 13,325 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bexley, OH
13,324 people
North Fair Oaks, CA
13,327 people
Franklin Park, NJ
13,327 people
Coatesville, PA
13,323 people
South Daytona, FL
13,322 people
Kingston, PA
13,333 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Portland's $72,380 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Le Mars, IA
$72,381 median income
Upper Sandusky, OH
$72,379 median income
Dennis, OK
$72,375 median income
Woods Hole, MA
$72,386 median income
Stuart, NE
$72,386 median income
Hidden Valley Lake, CA
$72,365 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Portland, TN 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 Portland, TN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.4% White 90.2% Black or African American 3.5% Asian 0.2% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 3.7% Two or more races 2.2% 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 Portland compares to nearby Tennessee cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Portland (this city) 13,325 $72,380
Soddy-Daisy 13,117 $67,824
Powell 13,544 $85,281
McMinnville 13,765 $43,348
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TN FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Portland, TN?

What is the population of Portland, TN? +

Portland, TN has a population of 13,325 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Portland, TN? +

The median household income in Portland is $72,380 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Portland? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Portland; the closest available measure is the Tennessee state average, a cost of living index of 91.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Tennessee vary by metro area.

Is Portland, TN safe? +

Portland has a total crime rate of 832.0 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 Portland, TN? +

Portland's median home value sits at $256,400, 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

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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.