Should I Move To
Portland, Maine comes in at about 68,280 residents. Cost of living comes out moderate — 6% above the national average. Rent typically lands near $1,377/mo, and the median household income is about $71,498. Overall, 53/100 on our composite score, which works out to a C-, putting it at #393 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Cost-of-living index of 106 (with 100 as the US baseline) — that's moderate territory. With median rent at $1,377/mo and median household income at $71,498, housing takes about 23% of gross income — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Homes typically value around $411,600.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Expect four-season weather — summers near 80°F, winters around 26°F. Rain (and snow, in some seasons) totals about 44 inches annually. Almost entirely car-dependent. Sidewalks exist; they just don't connect to where you need to go. AQI runs about 30 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
On the families profile, Portland sits squarely in the middle. The profile-weighted score is 59/100 — a C. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (97/100); the soft spot is walkability (0/100).
Portland is a tougher sell for retirees. The profile-weighted score is 46/100 — a D. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (97/100); the soft spot is walkability (0/100).
Portland is a tougher sell for remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 52/100 — a C-. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (97/100); the soft spot is walkability (0/100).
Portland is a tougher sell for young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 40/100 — a D. Its standout dimension is environmental quality (97/100); the soft spot is walkability (0/100).
Our overall score for Portland is 53/100 — a C-, sitting at #393 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Portland sits at 106 — moderate, 6% above the national average. Median renter pays around $1,377 a month.
Portland runs four-season on the weather. Summer's near 80°F, winter's near 26°F; 44 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 0/100. Almost entirely car-dependent. Sidewalks exist; they just don't connect to where you need to go.
Roughly 68,280 people live here, with 58% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 38.
Drop Portland into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Take the 2-minute UrbRank quiz to get a personalized ranking of US cities based on your priorities — cost, climate, commute, jobs, and more.