Portland, ME

Census Place

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2024 Population
68,854
US Senator
Susan Collins
Republican Party
US Senator
Angus King
Independent Party
2024 Median Age
37.8
0.8% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
11.2%
0.33% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$79,540
4.42% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$489,600
8.17% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
40,324
1.85% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Portland, ME reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

93.3% of the residents in Portland, ME are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Portland, ME are University of Southern Maine (1,748 degrees awarded in 2023), Maine College of Art & Design (131 degrees), and Empire Beauty School-Maine (77 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Portland, ME was $489,600, and the homeownership rate was 46.9%.

Most people in Portland, ME drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Portland, ME was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Above Commercial Street at night
Photo by Corey Templeton
United StatesMaineCumberland County, MEPortland-South Portland, MECumberland (Outside Portland) & York (East) Counties--Biddeford & Saco Cities PUMA, MECumberland County (Southeast)--Portland, South Portland & Westbrook Cities PUMA, ME

Population & Diversity

Portland, ME is home to a population of 68.9k people, from which 93.3% are citizens. As of 2024, 11.6% of Portland, ME residents were born outside of the country (8k people).

In 2024, there were 8.55 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (53.4k people) in Portland, ME than any other race or ethnicity. There were 6.24k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.69k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

93.3%
2024 Citizenship
93.8%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 93.3% of Portland, ME residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Portland, ME was 93.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Portland, ME compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Portland, ME
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    53.4k ± 1.1k
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    6.24k ± 716
  3. Asian (Non-Hispanic)
    2.69k ± 471
3.13%
Hispanic Population
2.15k people

In 2024, there were 8.55 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (53.4k people) in Portland, ME than any other race or ethnicity. There were 6.24k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.69k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

3.13% of the people in Portland, ME are hispanic (2.15k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Portland, ME as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Maine.
Most Common Origin
  1. Canada
    10,100 ± 2,458 people
  2. China
    2,593 ± 1,249 people
  3. Other Africa, not specified
    2,479 ± 1,221 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Maine was Canada, the natal country of 10,100 Maine residents, followed by China with 2,593 and Other Africa, not specified with 2,479.

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Foreign-Born Population

11.6%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
8k people
10.9%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
7.49k people

As of 2024, 11.6% of Portland, ME residents (8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Portland, ME was 10.9%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Portland, ME compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    999 ± 261
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    462 ± 156
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    239 ± 124

Portland, ME has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.16 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Portland, ME.

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Economy

The economy of Portland, ME employs 40.3k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Portland, ME were Health Care & Social Assistance (6,680 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (5,463 people), and Educational Services (4,451 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($140,830), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($134,167), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($75,021).

Employment

Occupations

40.3k
2024 Value
± 1,581
1.85%
1 Year growth
± 5.51%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Portland, ME grew at a rate of 1.85%, from 39.6k employees to 40.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Portland, ME, are Management Occupations (5,392 people), Business & Financial Operations Occupations (3,540 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (3,492 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Portland, ME.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Maine.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Maine (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

40.3k
2024 Value
± 1,581
1.85%
1 Year growth
± 5.51%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Portland, ME grew at a rate of 1.85%, from 39.6k employees to 40.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Portland, ME, are Health Care & Social Assistance (6,680 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (5,463 people), and Educational Services (4,451 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Portland, ME, though some of these residents may live in Portland, ME and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$54,845
Median earning men ± $3,281
$49,751
Median earning women ± $1,843

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($82,778), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($80,781), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($71,589).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($84,583), Construction ($72,592), and Information ($68,828).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Maine.
Y-Axis
1.54%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 627k people employed in Maine. This represents a 1.54% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Maine.

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Maine went to Kamala Harris with 52.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (45.5%), followed by Jill Stein (1.08%).

Susan Collins and Angus King are the senators currently representing the state of Maine. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Maine is currently represented by 2 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Voting results are not available for Portland, ME. Showing the available data for Maine.
2024 Election Results
  1. Kamala Harris (52.4%)
    Democratic Party
  2. Donald J. Trump (45.5%)
    Republican Party
  3. Jill Stein (1.08%)
    Green Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Maine went to Kamala Harris with 52.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (45.5%), followed by Jill Stein (1.08%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Maine for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from Maine

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Maine.
Susan Collins
Senator from Maine2
Assumed office on January 3, 1997
Angus King
Senator from Maine1
Assumed office on January 3, 2013
Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont join meetings of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

Susan Collins and Angus King are the senators currently representing Maine.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Maine over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Portland, ME awarded 1,966 degrees. The student population of Portland, ME in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 2,905 male students and 5,308 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Portland, ME are White (1,620 and 83.2%), Black or African American (109 and 5.6%), Hispanic or Latino (66 and 3.39%), and Unknown (65 and 3.34%).

The largest universities in Portland, ME by number of degrees awarded are University of Southern Maine (1,748 and 88.9%), Maine College of Art & Design (131 and 6.66%), and Empire Beauty School-Maine (77 and 3.92%).

The most popular majors in Portland, ME are Registered Nursing (168 and 8.55%), Educational Psychology (93 and 4.73%), and Law (84 and 4.27%).

The median tuition costs in Portland, ME are $40,668 for private four year colleges, and $8,316 and $24,500 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in Portland, ME, the percentage of applicants admitted was 79.1%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 15.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 8,213 (35.4% men and 64.6% women).

The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 8,213 students enrolled in Portland, ME, 35.4% men and 64.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 6,364 records, of which 66.1% were women and 33.9% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Other Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, & Treatment Professions
    65 degrees awarded
  2. Registered Nursing
    168 degrees awarded
  3. General Business Administration & Management
    83 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Portland, ME was Other Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, & Treatment Professions with 65 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Portland, ME according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. University of Southern Maine
    1,748 degrees awarded
  2. Maine College of Art & Design
    131 degrees awarded
  3. Empire Beauty School-Maine
    77 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Southern Maine with 1,748 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 577 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Portland, ME, which is 0.415 times less than the 1,389 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,620 degrees mean that there were 14.9 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 109 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($40,668) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,604) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,250) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Portland, ME was $489,600 in 2024, which is 1.47 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $452,600 to $489,600, a 8.17% increase. The homeownership rate in Portland, ME is 46.9%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Portland, ME have an average commute time of 19.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Portland, ME is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$489,600
Median Property Value 2024
±$13,489
$15,445
Median Property Taxes
±$895

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Portland, ME the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Portland, ME compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

46.9%
Homeownership
2024
64.8%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 46.9% of the housing units in Portland, ME were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 46.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Portland, ME compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$79,540
Median Household Income
± $3,774
33k
Number of Households
± 1,408

In 2024, the median household income of the 33k households in Portland, ME grew to $79,540 from the previous year's value of $76,174.

The following chart displays the households in Portland, ME distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Portland, ME is from Maine.
0.439
2023 Wage GINI in Maine
0.437
2022 Wage GINI in Maine

In 2023, the income inequality in Maine was 0.439 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.449% growth from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Maine was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Maine in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Maine across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (53.9%)
  2. Worked At Home (24.8%)
  3. Walked (11%)

In 2024, 53.9% of workers in Portland, ME drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (24.8%) and those who walked to work (11%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

19.4 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Portland, ME have a shorter commute time (19.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.68% of the workforce in Portland, ME have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Portland, ME compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Portland, ME distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Portland, ME have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

11.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Portland, ME (7.55k out of 67.4k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Portland, ME is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Health

95% of the population of Portland, ME has health coverage, with 53% on employee plans, 14.5% on Medicaid, 12% on Medicare, 14.8% on non-group plans, and 0.769% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Maine see 932 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (932 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1406 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 177 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.1% were men and 51.9% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 16.4% under 18 years, 28.7% between 18 and 34 years, 38.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.1% were men and 51.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

4.99%
Uninsured
53%
Employer Coverage
14.5%
Medicaid
12%
Medicare
14.8%
Non-Group
0.769%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Portland, ME declined by 3.82% from 5.19% to 4.99%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Portland, ME changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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