Portland-South Portland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Portland-South Portland
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
Opportunity
80 · Top 10%
vs79 · Top 12%
Growth
78 · Top 7%
vs60 · Top 34%
Climate
56 · Bottom 14%
vs64 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
87 · Top 7%
vs71 · Top 27%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 20%
vs91 · Bottom 39%
Access
56 · Bottom 17%
vs65 · Bottom 29%
Economic stability
75 · Top 19%
vs82 · Top 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Portland-South Portland | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 562,843 | 873,603 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,175 | $84,587 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,055 | $44,264 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 270/sq mi | 601/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $420,000 | $300,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,485 | $1,365 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.2% | 69.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.9% | 33.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 10.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,961 | 2,144 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.0 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 27.1% | -3.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.1" | 47.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 71 mi | 64 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.8 min | 29.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.7 | 41.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Portland-South Portland
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane, coastal flooding.
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Portland-South Portland
73
Your Score
76
Area Score
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
73
Your Score
73
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Portland-South Portland, ME Metro Area · Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology