AreaProfile

Maine Area Profiles

13 published city profiles across Maine, each built from the same authoritative sources and compared on the same terms.

Find places in Maine that fit you →

Statewide signals

Opportunity32nd of 51 states measured49
GrowthTop 14% of 51 states measured65
Housing affordabilityTop 50% of 51 states measured70
Climate47th of 51 states measured49
Physical resilienceTop 14% of 51 states measured82
Access28th of 51 states measured70
Economic stabilityTop 42% of 51 states measured57

Cities

13 published profiles across 4 areas

Portland-South Portland, ME

7 cities

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
PortlandCumberland County68,85471
South PortlandCumberland County26,93071
BiddefordYork County22,49861
SanfordYork County22,24762
SacoYork County20,81966
WestbrookCumberland County20,77571
BrunswickCumberland County17,65271

Lewiston-Auburn, ME

2 cities

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
LewistonAndroscoggin County38,32455
AuburnAndroscoggin County24,60262

Bangor, ME

2 cities

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
BangorPenobscot County31,93868
OronoPenobscot County11,15169

Augusta-Waterville, ME

2 cities

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
AugustaKennebec County19,07757
WatervilleKennebec County17,07759

Strongest opportunity

  1. Westbrook 77
  2. South Portland 74
  3. Portland 73
  4. Saco 73
  5. Brunswick 72

Fastest development

  1. Westbrook 89
  2. Portland 80
  3. Brunswick 80
  4. Waterville 72
  5. Auburn 71

Statewide physical risk

Ice stormHigh
HurricaneElevated
LightningModerate
EarthquakeModerate
LandslideModerate
DroughtModerate
Coastal floodingModerate
Heat waveModerate

Low or minimal exposure: winter weather, inland flooding, cold wave, strong wind, hail, wildfire, tornado, avalanche, tsunami, volcanic activity.

Population-weighted across every county in Maine, derived from the FEMA National Risk Index. Exposure varies substantially within a state — check the individual city and ZIP profiles.

Statewide data

MetricValueCompared nationallySource period
Broadband access ±0.4%2024 ACS 5-Year90.3%Bottom 43%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Distance to major airportNASR current cycle42 miTop 48%of 51NASR current cycle
Major airports within 100 milesNASR current cycle1Bottom 16%of 51NASR current cycle
No internet access ±0.3%2024 ACS 5-Year7.0%Bottom 41%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Annual precipitation1991-2020 Normals42.6"60th percentileof 511991-2020 Normals
Average January low1991-2020 Normals6°F8th percentileof 511991-2020 Normals
Average July high1991-2020 Normals79°F8th percentileof 511991-2020 Normals
Comfortable months1991-2020 Normals4Bottom 6%of 511991-2020 Normals
Seasonal temperature swing1991-2020 Normals53°F88th percentileof 511991-2020 Normals
Average household size ±0.012024 ACS 5-Year2.262nd percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Households ±2,5322024 ACS 5-Year597,15922nd percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median age ±0.12024 ACS 5-Year44.898th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Population2024 ACS 5-Year1,387,81718th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Population change (1 year)July 1, 2024 estimate+0.4%Bottom 10%of 51July 1, 2024 estimate
Population change (4 years)July 1, 2024 estimate+3.0%Top 32%of 51July 1, 2024 estimate
Population density2024 ACS 5-Year45/sq mi24th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Population estimateJuly 1, 2024 estimate1,405,01218th percentileof 51July 1, 2024 estimate
Average permitted value per unit12 months ending July 2026$265,24350th percentileof 5112 months ending July 2026
Housing units permitted (12 months)12 months ending July 20267,062Bottom 26%of 5112 months ending July 2026
Multifamily share of permits12 months ending July 202632.1%50th percentileof 5112 months ending July 2026
Permit change (3 years)12 months ending July 2026+28.2%Top 12%of 5112 months ending July 2026
Permit change (year over year)12 months ending July 2026+8.7%Top 32%of 5112 months ending July 2026
Permits per 1,000 residents12 months ending July 20265.1Top 30%of 5112 months ending July 2026
Cost of living index202398.0Bottom 40%of 512023
Home price change (1 year)2026 Q2+3.2%42nd percentileof 512026 Q2
Home price change (5 years)2026 Q2+56.4%96th percentileof 512026 Q2
Home price change (10 years)2026 Q2+122.8%98th percentileof 512026 Q2
Home price to income ±0.02024 ACS 5-Year3.3Bottom 43%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Homeownership rate ±0.5%2024 ACS 5-Year74.3%98th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units ±6712024 ACS 5-Year751,87622nd percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent ±$132024 ACS 5-Year$1,139Top 41%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value ±$2,8762024 ACS 5-Year$296,60049th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median property taxes ±$262024 ACS 5-Year$3,03663rd percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Owner household income ±$9952024 ACS 5-Year$88,635Bottom 31%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Property tax rate ±0.01%2024 ACS 5-Year1.02%65th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Rent as a share of income ±0.5%2024 ACS 5-Year29.4%Top 43%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Seasonal and second homes ±1,5972024 ACS 5-Year115,06378th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Second homes2024 ACS 5-Year15.3%99th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Vacancy rate2024 ACS 5-Year5.3%27th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Vacant housing units ±2,1422024 ACS 5-Year154,71741st percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income ±$7952024 ACS 5-Year$74,733Bottom 37%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income ±$4032024 ACS 5-Year$43,742Top 39%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate ±0.3%2024 ACS 5-Year10.4%Top 41%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Average commute ±0.2 min2024 ACS 5-Year26.1 minTop 43%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Bachelor's degree or higher ±0.5%2024 ACS 5-Year36.2%Top 33%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Drove alone to work ±0.5%2024 ACS 5-Year70.8%41st percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
EmploymentAugust 2026683,742Bottom 20%of 51August 2026
Employment change (3 years)August 2026−1.5%Bottom 24%of 51August 2026
Employment change (year over year)August 2026−2.5%Bottom 12%of 51August 2026
Labor forceAugust 2026705,65220th percentileof 51August 2026
Labor force participation ±0.4%2024 ACS 5-Year79.0%Bottom 45%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Public transit to work ±0.1%2024 ACS 5-Year0.5%16th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment change (year over year)August 2026+0.1%Bottom 28%of 51August 2026
Unemployment rateAugust 20263.1%Top 16%of 51August 2026
Worked from home ±0.4%2024 ACS 5-Year15.9%67th percentileof 522024 ACS 5-Year
Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility2024-25 school year45.3%30th percentileof 452024-25 school year
Math proficiency2018-19 school year36.1%Bottom 16%of 502018-19 school year
Public schools2024-25 school year58618th percentileof 512024-25 school year
Reading proficiency2018-19 school year55.8%Top 29%of 492018-19 school year
Schools behind the staffing ratio2024-25 school year55418th percentileof 502024-25 school year
Students per teacher2024-25 school year11.5Top 6%of 502024-25 school year

Counties in Maine

5 published

Some measures are published by county and nowhere finer — death rates by intent among them. On a county page those describe the geography they are printed on.

Cumberland County, ME
308,827 residents · 1.2 homicide deaths per 100k
York County, ME
216,731 residents · 1.1 homicide deaths per 100k
Penobscot County, ME
154,710 residents · 1.7 homicide deaths per 100k
Kennebec County, ME
126,808 residents · 1.6 homicide deaths per 100k
Androscoggin County, ME
113,423 residents · 1.3 homicide deaths per 100k