South Portland and Westbrook receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | South Portland | Westbrook | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,930 | 20,775 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,838 | $85,038 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,723 | $44,851 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,236/sq mi | 1,209/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $441,200 | $383,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,812 | $1,392 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.1% | 61.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 2.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.7% | 41.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 8.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 23 | 320 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 15.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.1% | 142.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.1" | 48.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 75 mi | 76 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 20.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.9 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.14 | 11.02 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 87.9% | 67.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 88.6% | 73.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 31.6% | 66.2% | 2024-25 school 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
South Portland
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane, coastal flooding.
Westbrook
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
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Full profiles: South Portland, ME · Westbrook, ME · How this is calculated: methodology