What percentage of people rent in South Portland, ME?

Name: Renters and owners in South Portland, ME, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

41.9% (±3.1 points) of the occupied homes in South Portland, ME are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 5,089 renting households against 7,063 that own their home.

In South Portland, the share of households that rent went from 36.6% in 2015–2019 to 41.9% in 2020–2024 (+5.3 percentage points), a measurable increase.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 41.9% (±3.1 points)
Renting households: 5,089 (±457)
Median renter income: $70,729 (±$4,704)

Who rents and who owns in South Portland

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	South Portland	Cumberland County	Maine	United States
Renter-occupied share	41.9% (±3.1 points)	30.2% (±0.9 points)	25.7% (±0.4 points)	34.8%
Renting households	5,089 (±457)	39,903 (±1,289)	153,586 (±2,467)	45,017,354
Owning households	7,063 (±427)	92,265 (±1,318)	443,573 (±3,445)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.0 (±0.1)	1.9 (±0.0)	1.9 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.3 (±0.1)	2.4 (±0.0)	2.4 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$70,729 (±$4,704)	$59,461 (±$1,974)	$44,257 (±$1,278)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$103,142 (±$7,679)	$115,022 (±$2,572)	$88,635 (±$995)	$100,009

In South Portland, the renter share is higher than in Cumberland County (30.2%).

It is also higher than in Maine (25.7%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In Cumberland County, South Portland ranks 2 of 28 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 16 of 482.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in South Portland has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	36.6% (±2.6 points)	41.9% (±3.1 points)	+5.3 percentage points	Measurable increase
Median gross rent	$1,305 (±$48)	$1,812 (±$97)	+38.9%	Up after inflation
Median household income	$69,290 (±$5,241)	$86,838 (±$7,384)	+25.3%	No measurable change after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near South Portland

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with South Portland
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
South Portland	—	41.9% (±3.1 points)	—
Oak Hill	3.7 mi	24.5% (±7.0 points)	Lower
Scarborough	4.8 mi	22.6% (±4.3 points)	Lower
Portland	5.0 mi	53.1% (±1.9 points)	Higher
Cape Elizabeth	6.1 mi	12.0% (±4.2 points)	Lower
Westbrook	6.2 mi	38.8% (±4.4 points)	Not measurably different
Falmouth (community)	6.5 mi	31.7% (±8.2 points)	Lower
Dunstan	6.6 mi	29.0% (±14.4 points)	Not measurably different
Long Island	7.3 mi	12.5% (±13.1 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Oak Hill, ME (24.5%), Scarborough, ME (22.6%), Cape Elizabeth, ME (12.0%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Portland, ME (53.1%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across Cumberland County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1	Portland	53.1% (±1.9 points)
2	South Portland	41.9% (±3.1 points)
3	Westbrook	38.8% (±4.4 points)
4	Chebeague Island	29.4% (±15.7 points)
5	Brunswick	28.8% (±3.3 points)
6	Scarborough	22.6% (±4.3 points)
7	Freeport	22.4% (±6.6 points)
8	Yarmouth	19.6% (±4.7 points)

Showing 8 of 28 places in Cumberland County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

What you can do on Seayora in South Portland

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Questions about South Portland

How many renters are there in South Portland?

South Portland has an estimated 5,089 (±457) renting households, 41.9% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in South Portland?

In South Portland, the share of households that rent went from 36.6% in 2015–2019 to 41.9% in 2020–2024 (+5.3 percentage points), a measurable increase.

How big are renting households in South Portland?

A renting household in South Portland has 2.0 people on average, against 2.3 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in South Portland?

The median renting household in South Portland, ME has an income of $70,729 (±$4,704) a year, against $103,142 for households that own their home.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for South Portland city, Maine (place:71990, in state:23).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.