Smart Movers Club

    Moving to South Portland, ME

    Is South Portland a good place to live?

    Watch South Portland

    South Portland ranks #1 of 4 Maine cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (67/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.5% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $405,800
    +12.7% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $1,648
    per month
    Household income
    $84,563
    median
    Unemployment
    2.8%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in South Portland

    The median home value in South Portland is $405,800 and median rent is $1,648 a month, against a median household income of $84,563. Homes cost about 4.8× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    South Portland crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Maine the 2025 rate was 95 violent and 962 property crimes per 100,000 people — #48 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to South Portland, ME

    South Portland has about 26,780 residents, 2.8% unemployment and 31% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare South Portland with

    South Portland vs PortlandSouth Portland vs LewistonSouth Portland vs Bangor

    More: Where to move in Maine · Best counties in Maine

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report