South Portland, ME

Census Place

Add Comparison
2024 Population
26,930
US Senator
Susan Collins
Republican Party
US Senator
Angus King
Independent Party
2024 Median Age
40.9
0.491% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
6.94%
15.7% 1-year increase
2024 Median Household Income
$86,838
2.69% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$441,200
8.72% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
16,323
0.697% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in South 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.

93.7% of the residents in South Portland, ME are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in South Portland, ME are Southern Maine Community College (784 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in South Portland, ME was $441,200, and the homeownership rate was 58.1%.

Most people in South Portland, ME drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 17.1 minutes. The average car ownership in South Portland, ME was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Spring Point Ledge Light breakwater
Photo by Mark
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

South Portland, ME is home to a population of 26.9k people, from which 93.7% are citizens. As of 2024, 10.5% of South Portland, ME residents were born outside of the country (2.82k people).

In 2024, there were 11 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (21.2k people) in South Portland, ME than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.93k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 911 Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

93.7%
2024 Citizenship
94.2%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 93.7% of South Portland, ME residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in South Portland, ME was 94.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

View Data
Save Image

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in South Portland, ME
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    21.2k ± 658
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    1.93k ± 488
  3. Asian (Non-Hispanic)
    911 ± 333
4.02%
Hispanic Population
1.08k people

In 2024, there were 11 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (21.2k people) in South Portland, ME than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.93k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 911 Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

4.02% of the people in South Portland, ME are hispanic (1.08k people).

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

View Data
Save Image

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.

View Data
Save Image

Foreign-Born Population

10.5%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
2.82k people
9.01%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
2.41k people

As of 2024, 10.5% of South Portland, ME residents (2.82k 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 South Portland, ME was 9.01%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

View Data
Save Image

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    548 ± 217
  2. Gulf War (1990s)
    163 ± 110
  3. Gulf War (2001-)
    133 ± 74

South Portland, ME has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.36 times greater than any other conflict.

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

View Data
Save Image

Economy

The economy of South Portland, ME employs 16.3k people. In 2024, the largest industries in South Portland, ME were Health Care & Social Assistance (2,752 people), Retail Trade (2,229 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (1,518 people), and the highest paying industries were Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($98,936), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($90,632), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($78,267).

Employment

Occupations

16.3k
2024 Value
± 1,034
0.697%
1 Year growth
± 8.98%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in South Portland, ME grew at a rate of 0.697%, from 16.2k employees to 16.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in South Portland, ME, are Management Occupations (1,868 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,496 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,373 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of South Portland, ME.

View Data
Save Image

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.

View Data
Save Image

Industries

Employment by Industries

16.3k
2024 Value
± 1,034
0.697%
1 Year growth
± 8.98%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in South Portland, ME grew at a rate of 0.697%, from 16.2k employees to 16.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in South Portland, ME, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,752 people), Retail Trade (2,229 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (1,518 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of South Portland, ME, though some of these residents may live in South Portland, ME and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

View Data
Save Image

Median Earnings by Industry

$54,485
Median earning men ± $6,535
$46,166
Median earning women ± $3,690

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($135,707), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($86,202), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($85,481).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Information ($76,333), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($75,500), and Construction ($69,429).

View Data
Save Image

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.

View Data
Save Image

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 South 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.

View Data
Save Image

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.

View Data
Save Image

Education

In 2023, universities in South Portland, ME awarded 784 degrees. The student population of South Portland, ME in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 3,185 male students and 4,020 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in South Portland, ME are White (614 and 79.8%), Black or African American (60 and 7.8%), Two or More Races (32 and 4.16%), and Hispanic or Latino (20 and 2.6%).

The largest universities in South Portland, ME by number of degrees awarded are Southern Maine Community College (784 and 100%).

The most popular majors in South Portland, ME are Liberal Arts & Sciences (111 and 14.2%), General Business Administration & Management (109 and 13.9%), and Registered Nursing (103 and 13.1%).

The median tuition cost in South Portland, ME for a public four year colleges is $13,356 for in-state students and $13,356 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 7,205 students enrolled in South Portland, ME, 44.2% men and 55.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 5,503 records, of which 55.9% were women and 44.1% men.

View Data
Save Image

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Liberal Arts & Sciences
    111 degrees awarded
  2. General Business Administration & Management
    109 degrees awarded
  3. Registered Nursing
    103 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in South Portland, ME was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 111 degrees awarded.

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

View Data
Save Image

Universities

Gender
Race
Southern Maine Community College
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
784 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Southern Maine Community College with 784 degrees awarded.

View Data
Save Image

Student Diversity

In 2023, 360 men were awarded degrees from institutions in South Portland, ME, which is 0.849 times less than the 424 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 614 degrees mean that there were 10.2 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 60 degrees awarded.

View Data
Save Image

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.

View Data
Save Image
View Data
Save Image

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($2,880) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($917) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,400) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

View Data
Save Image

Housing & Living

The median property value in South Portland, ME was $441,200 in 2024, which is 1.33 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $405,800 to $441,200, a 8.72% increase. The homeownership rate in South Portland, ME is 58.1%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in South Portland, ME have an average commute time of 17.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in South Portland, ME is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$441,200
Median Property Value 2024
±$16,572
$7,063
Median Property Taxes
±$546

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 South Portland, ME the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

View Data
Save Image
View Data
Save Image

Rent vs Own

58.1%
Homeownership
2024
64%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 58.1% of the housing units in South Portland, ME were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 60.3%.

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

View Data
Save Image

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$86,838
Median Household Income
± $7,384
12.2k
Number of Households
± 818

In 2024, the median household income of the 12.2k households in South Portland, ME grew to $86,838 from the previous year's value of $84,563.

The following chart displays the households in South 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.

View Data
Save Image

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for South 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.

View Data
Save Image

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (65.5%)
  2. Worked At Home (19.5%)
  3. Carpooled (5.97%)

In 2024, 65.5% of workers in South Portland, ME drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (19.5%) and those who carpooled to work (5.97%).

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.

View Data
Save Image

Commute Time

17.1 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in South Portland, ME have a shorter commute time (17.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.01% of the workforce in South Portland, ME have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

View Data
Save Image
View Data
Save Image

Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

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

View Data
Save Image

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

6.94% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in South Portland, ME (1.83k out of 26.3k 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 75+, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in South 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.

View Data
Save Image

Health

93.7% of the population of South Portland, ME has health coverage, with 53.8% on employee plans, 9.26% on Medicaid, 14.4% on Medicare, 15.4% on non-group plans, and 0.951% 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, 46.1% were men and 53.9% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 16.2% under 18 years, 25.3% between 18 and 34 years, 37.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.1% were men and 53.9% were women.

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

View Data
Save Image

Uninsured People

6.29%
Uninsured
53.8%
Employer Coverage
9.26%
Medicaid
14.4%
Medicare
15.4%
Non-Group
0.951%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in South Portland, ME grew by 9.09% from 5.76% to 6.29%.

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

View Data
Save Image