2023 Best Places to Live in the Portland, ME Area

• Neighborhood in Portland, ME

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  Rating 4 out of 5  9 reviews

Former Resident: Loved living there. Quiet family friendly neighborhood close to everything. Walking distance to bars and restaurants and only a short Uber ride to the old port.... Read 9 reviews

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• Population 3,202

• Suburb in Maine

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  Rating 4.24 out of 5  25 reviews

Current Resident: Magical and engaging place just outside of Portland. We have been part of the fabric of this town for almost twenty years and while we live in Boston, this place feels like home. The demographics of the Portland area have certainly changed in the last twenty years and Cape Elizabeth is no different in this regard. While the town is on the affluent spectrum, it is highly tolerant and accepting of all. Definitely worth the visit to experience the buzz.... Read 25 reviews

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• Population 9,448

• Neighborhood in Portland, ME

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• Population 7,081

• Neighborhood in Portland, ME

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• Population 1,854

• Suburb in Maine

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  Rating 4.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Nice walking trails, pretty views, good restaurants, kind people, great for raising a family, quiet neighborhoods.... Read 3 reviews

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• Population 1,811

• Town in Maine

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  Rating 4.39 out of 5  151 reviews

Current Resident: The locals of Portland are wonderful people, and the city is constantly growing and changing. Even with these changes, there are traditions that Portland residents hold close.... Read 151 reviews

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• Population 68,063

• Neighborhood in Portland, ME

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  Rating 3.91 out of 5  11 reviews

Current Resident: We moved here from the East End a year ago and we love it! Great neighborhood, safe, walkable to everything, with a number of historic houses, apartments and multi-families. Deering Street is beautiful. The YMCA has great classes, pool, and gym, and the Farmers Market at Deering Oaks Park is awesome. Hannaford's Supermarket is a 20-ish-minute walk or short bike ride. Fantastic place to live.... Read 11 reviews

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• Population 3,177

• Suburb in Maine

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  Rating 3.75 out of 5  32 reviews

Current Resident: When I first moved here, everyone was so welcoming and friendly. This was the second time I was moving within a 6 month time span, and everyone at school and in my neighborhood made the whole process a lot better. This town is beautiful and holds very welcoming and caring people. I am extremely glad I had the chance to grow up in a town like Falmouth.... Read 32 reviews

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• Population 12,316

• Neighborhood in Portland, ME

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  Rating 3.6 out of 5  5 reviews

Niche User: Portland is a great small city on Casco Bay. There is a great atmosphere with plenty of shops and restaurants. Beaches are close by too.... Read 5 reviews

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• Population 6,590

• Neighborhood in Portland, ME

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  Rating 3.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Niche User: Though it has only been roughly nine moths of living in this area I have had no issues myself and have not seen or heard any sort of disturbance as well as little activity from police.... Read 2 reviews

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• Population 4,778

• Suburb in Maine

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  Rating 4.13 out of 5  15 reviews

Current Resident: Positive and welcoming community atmosphere. Still feels somewhat rural but close to conveniences and Portland. High taxes though.... Read 15 reviews

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• Population 8,332

• Neighborhood in Portland, ME

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  Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

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• Population 4,237

• Neighborhood in Portland, ME

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  Rating 3.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Niche User: Portland, ME is a great area for all ages, but I'd say possibly the best for 20-30 year olds. There are countless numbers of groups and organizations to join ranging from community health to art and music. The music scene is incredible and only getting better. Less than 15 minutes away you can find hiking trails and all sorts of ocean activities such as surfing and kayaking. Having a dog in this city has been a wonderful experience for me. There are many parks that allow dogs and beaches as well. I live in the heart of the city and my university is less than 2 miles away which is a quick bike or a scenic walk depending on preference. The bus system is also very convenient and reliable. Having not been crazy about the idea of living in the city to begin with, my attitude has totally changed since living here for a year. It feels more like a small town with endless activities than an actual city. I love exploring the outdoors and Portland has allowed for me to do that and much more. I have to say I love it here.... Read 3 reviews

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• Population 4,586

• Town in Maine

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  Rating 4.3 out of 5  50 reviews

Current Resident: For small-town New England living, Brunswick is hard to beat. The charming downtown core has been been carefully preserved, with big box stores kept out on the edges of town or across the river in Topsham. Even though it's a small town, it has a full-time police and fire plus Midcoast Hospital with a 24-hour emergency room, so you don't find the need to leave town for many things. Recent construction projects mean three of the four schools are very new. The beauty of life here is the relaxed, slower pace with easy access to all that Maine has to offer. Portland (and the jetport) are only 30 minutes away, four state parks are less than an hour away and Midcoast Maine towns (Boothbay, Camden, etc.) are easy day trips. Like the rest of Maine, it's an incredibly low-crime area. The only real negative is the length of winter, so it's important to get involved in winter sports like skiing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, etc. so you don't spend all winter inside cussing the weather.... Read 50 reviews

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• Population 21,589

• Neighborhood in Portland, ME

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  Rating 3.52 out of 5  23 reviews

Niche User: Its clean, quiet family neighborhood, with plenty of green spaces, schools and shops on the main road. It's definitely one of the more charming neighborhoods of the city, the state and even New England. The density and volume of traffic are low compared to proximity to downtown, and Victorian-era homes line the streets.... Read 23 reviews

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• Population 4,956

• Neighborhood in Portland, ME

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• Population 1,211

• Suburb in Maine

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  Rating 4 out of 5  20 reviews

Niche User: Great place, everyone is friendly and the land is beautiful, is in the middle of everything, like 20 minutes to the mountains 10 to the ocean.... Read 20 reviews

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• Population 8,622

• Suburb in Maine

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  Rating 4.44 out of 5  32 reviews

Current Resident: Very cozy, welcoming town. Weather is not the best but that goes for all of New England. Cute small town center with lots of food options!... Read 32 reviews

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• Population 8,903

• Neighborhood in Portland, ME

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  Rating 4.14 out of 5  7 reviews

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• Population 1,499

• Neighborhood in Portland, ME

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  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

Former Resident: Lived there while going to USM. Very close to USM and also close to back cove and the old port. Also close to freeing oaks park and the Sea Dogs ballpark and Fitzpatrick stadium.... Read 2 reviews

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• Population 3,383

• Suburb in Maine

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  Rating 4 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: It’s a wonderful town, very comfortable to live in. There is a rural feel while being close to the city.... Read 3 reviews

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• Population 2,956

• Suburb in Maine

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  Rating 4.14 out of 5  42 reviews

Current Resident: Recently moved to Scarborough, I found the suburb to be friendly and has accessibility to a variety of stores and shopping areas. The town is continuing with its development projects on roads and new apartment complexes as the population is increasing and people are moving to the state of Maine. I enjoy living in such close proximity to Portland while also maintaining distance from the city. The town also has a number of beaches and parks that are easy to drive to and enjoy the local scenery. I only wish that the population was more diverse and integrated. I'm hopeful that with the increasing number of people moving to the area, that will soon change.... Read 42 reviews

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• Population 21,857

• Town in Maine

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  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Niche User: West Bath is rural and beautiful, yet close to rt 1, downtown Bath, and Brunswick. 20 minutes away from breathtaking Popham beach is one of the main reasons I just bought land in West Bath. I’m looking forward to retiring there in a few years.... Read 1 review

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• Population 2,119

• Suburb in Maine

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  Rating 4.06 out of 5  69 reviews

Current Resident: The town of Gorham, Maine is safe, accepting, and supports healthy living. The community of Gorham supports one another, and is extremely welcoming. The public schools provide a welcoming environment where students are able to have an excellent education, as well as, have connections with teachers who truly care about their students. The police department, and public health are very involved in the town, and are constantly making sure that the people, business, and schools are safe. The center of Gorham, Maine has a local grocery store, gas stations, workout facilities, restaurants, and unique small business. Gorham, Maine is an excellent place to live it has a welcoming, safe community, supports healthy lifestyles, and it is nearby the ocean, the city of Portland, hiking trails, and many freshwater lakes.... Read 69 reviews

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• Population 18,114

• Suburb in Maine

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  Rating 4.33 out of 5  9 reviews

Current Resident: Quiet suburb of Portland. Great school system, nice people. Would like to see more businesses so that we don’t have to leave town so much to run errands. Would like to see more of a downtown where people could interact more.... Read 9 reviews

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• Population 4,037