Kansas City 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
Kansas City
Opportunity
80 · Top 10%
vs74 · Top 17%
Growth
78 · Top 7%
vs71 · Top 18%
Climate
56 · Bottom 14%
vs72 · Top 32%
Physical resilience
87 · Top 7%
vs76 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 20%
vs95 · Top 48%
Access
56 · Bottom 17%
vs85 · Top 34%
Economic stability
75 · Top 19%
vs88 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Portland-South Portland | Kansas City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 562,843 | 2,218,142 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,175 | $83,460 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,055 | $45,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 270/sq mi | 306/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $420,000 | $287,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,485 | $1,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.2% | 65.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.9% | 39.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 10.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,961 | 10,859 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.0 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 27.1% | 13.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.1" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 71 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.8 min | 24.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.7 | 38.0 | 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.
Kansas City
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
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
Kansas City
80
Your Score
78
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Portland-South Portland, ME Metro Area · Kansas City, MO-KS Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology