Cost of living in South Portland research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means South Portland is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Maine, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in South Portland is 113, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in South Portland is 1.1x higher than the national average.
South Portland ranks as the #27 cheapest in Maine out of 29.
South Portland ranks as the #4,363 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in South Portland is $293,700.
The median income in South Portland is $73,899.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, South Portland has an overall cost of living index of 113, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Maine, South Portland has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Maine's index of 112.
The standard of living in South Portland ranks as #27 most affordable out of the 29 places we measured in Maine. By definition, that implies South Portland ranks as the #2 most expensive place in the Pine Tree State.
For more reading on life in South Portland, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in South Portland. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in South Portland is 111.
The Groceries index in South Portland is 101.
The Health index in South Portland is 113.
The Housing index in South Portland is 123.
The Transportation index in South Portland is 102.
The Utilities index in South Portland is 109.
Living Expense | South Portland | Maine | National Average | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | 113 | 112 | 100 | |
Services | 111 | 114 | 100 | |
Groceries | 101 | 101 | 100 | |
Health | 113 | 97 | 100 | |
Housing | 123 | 120 | 100 | |
Transportation | 102 | 116 | 100 | |
Utilities | 109 | 104 | 100 |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maine, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in South Portland is $293,700.
The Median Rent in South Portland is $1,465.
The Median Income in South Portland is $73,899.
The Home Value To Income in South Portland is 4.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in South Portland is 0.24x.
Statistic | South Portland | Maine | United States |
---|---|---|---|
Median Home Value | $293,700 | $212,100 | $244,900 |
Median Rent | $1,465 | $927 | $1,163 |
Median Income | $73,899 | $63,182 | $69,021 |
Home Value To Income | 4.0x | 3.4x | 3.5x |
Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.18x | 0.2x |
Item | South Portland | Maine |
---|---|---|
Shampoo | $0.99 | $1.06 |
Movie | $11.3 | $10.68 |
Bowling | $14.83 | $14.67 |
Haircut | $26.0 | $18.62 |
Beauty Salon | $46.33 | $39.05 |
Item | South Portland | Maine |
---|---|---|
Ground Beef | $3.46 | $4.22 |
Fried Chicken | $1.34 | $1.39 |
Milk | $2.34 | $2.05 |
Potatoes | $3.74 | $3.29 |
Pizza | $11.09 | $10.62 |
Beer | $10.74 | $9.38 |
Toothpaste | $2.67 | $2.34 |
Item | South Portland | Maine |
---|---|---|
Optometrist | $148.43 | $108.57 |
Doctor | $151.95 | $116.17 |
Dentist | $107.57 | $99.13 |
Item | South Portland | Maine |
---|---|---|
Gasoline | $2.19 | $2.22 |
Tire Balancing | $53.63 | $50.07 |
Item | South Portland | Maine |
---|---|---|
All Electricity | $200.33 | $167.67 |
Phone | $171.07 | $175.64 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around South Portland. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Portland, ME has a cost of living index of 111, 1.0x South Portland.
Saco, ME has a cost of living index of 109, 1.0x South Portland.
Westbrook, ME has a cost of living index of 105, 0.9x South Portland.
City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. South Portland |
---|---|---|---|
Portland, ME | 68,063 | 111 | 1.0x |
Saco, ME | 20,203 | 109 | 1.0x |
Westbrook, ME | 20,074 | 105 | 0.9x |
Old Orchard Beach, ME | 8,954 | 106 | 0.9x |
Gorham, ME | 7,378 | 112 | 1.0x |
Yarmouth, ME | 6,043 | 121 | 1.1x |