Peter Van Allen
In 2018, during construction of the WEX Inc. headquarters, a Live + Work in Maine banner touted Portland as a great place to make a home.
February 13, 2023
Portland tops another 'best places to live' national list
Courtesy / University of Maine
Even with housing challenges, Portland ranks high on national lists of "best places to live."
Even as home prices surge and affordable housing is in short supply, Portland topped another national ranking.
This time it ranks No. 1 on Travel + Leisure magazine’s “10 best places to live on the East Coast" feature.
Portland edged out nearby Portsmouth, N.H., and Boston.
Travel + Leisure says it looked for places that offered “the highest standard of living and a wealth of recreational opportunities.”
In addition to being “the center of [Maine’s] cultural and economic life,” the article cited Portland’s low crime rate and the overall well-being of its residents.
Portland “attracts newcomers with its natural beauty, bustling art scene, and laid-back outdoorsy lifestyle,” Travel + Leisure said.
"We're afforded such an abundance of options to enjoy the outdoors: swimming, boating, hiking, biking, rowing, running, skiing, and climbing," Jennifer Sweeney, a broker at Town & Shore Real Estate, told Travel + Leisure. "Portland is a walkable gem of a city on the working waterfront, marrying rich history with ever-evolving culture."
Sweeney said there are neighborhoods in Portland and South Portland that attract first-time homebuyers, though the story didn’t cite any particular places.
Portland and South Portland have "more of a seaside suburban vibe, with pet- and kid-friendly beaches and access to trails," while "Cape Elizabeth is known for its picture-perfect coastline, Fort Williams Park, and highly rated school system."
Second story
It’s the second time in the past year that Maine’s largest city has taken the top spot in a national ranking of this kind. In June 2022, U.S. News and World Report ranked Portland No. 1 on its “Best places to live on the East Coast” listing. The top three cities on the U.S. News ranking were Portland, Boston and Washington, D.C.
Housing crunch
While the lists may be affirmation that Portland is a desirable place to live, the reality of its housing crunch continues to be an issue for people that live here.
For 2022, the median sales price in Cumberland County, which includes Greater Portland, was $491,723, up 13% from $434,900 in 2021. At the same time, the number of homes sold in 2022 dropped by 17%, an indication not just of higher interest rates but also tight housing inventory, according to Maine Listings and the Maine Association of Realtors.
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