What stands out worked out from the figures below

Portland has the most people working from home (24.8%).

Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Portland	Westbrook
People
Population	68,854Highest	20,775Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	37.8±0.8Highest 16% below ME	37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME
	Portland and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.4%±1.2Lowest ME: 18.1%	18.5%±2.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Westbrook and Portland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 22.4%	18.1%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4%
	Westbrook and Portland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.7%Highest ME: 36.2%	41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.7%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8%	9%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8%
	Westbrook and Portland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$79,540±$4kLowest 6% above ME	$85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME
	Westbrook and Portland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$489,600±$13kHighest 65% above ME	$383,300±$19kLowest 29% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,577±$35Highest 38% above ME	$1,392±$74Lowest 22% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,601Highest 84% above ME	$4,005Lowest 32% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.3%±3.9Highest ME: 48.4%	46.1%±7.4Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Portland and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.2%Highest ME: 10.7%	8%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	46.9%Lowest ME: 74.3%	61.2%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME	1975Highest 2 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minHighest 21% below ME	19 minLowest 24% below ME
Work from home	24.8%±1.8Highest ME: 15.9%	17.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#133 of 133 in ME	#115 of 133 in ME
School district	Portland Public Schools · Baxter Academy for Technology and Science	Westbrook Public Schools
High school in town	Portland High School	Westbrook High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.4Highest	12.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.