What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

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

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	Westbrook	Portland
People
Population	20,775Lowest	68,854Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.6%Highest ME: +2.6%	+3.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	37.4±1Lowest 17% below ME	37.8±0.8Highest 16% 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	18.5%±2.4Highest ME: 18.1%	15.4%±1.2Lowest 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+	18.1%±2.2Highest ME: 22.4%	16.9%±1.1Lowest 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+	41.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	59.7%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	9%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8%	6.7%±0.8Lowest 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	$85,038±$7kHighest 14% above ME	$79,540±$4kLowest 6% 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	$383,300±$19kLowest 29% above ME	$489,600±$13kHighest 65% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,392±$74Lowest 22% above ME	$1,577±$35Highest 38% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,005Lowest 32% above ME	$5,601Highest 84% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.1%±7.4Lowest ME: 48.4%	51.3%±3.9Highest 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	8%Lowest ME: 10.7%	11.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	61.2%Highest ME: 74.3%	46.9%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 2 yrs older than ME	1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 24% below ME	19 minHighest 21% below ME
Work from home	17.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	24.8%±1.8Highest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#115 of 133 in ME	#133 of 133 in ME
School district	Westbrook Public Schools	Portland Public Schools · Baxter Academy for Technology and Science
High school in town	Westbrook High School	Portland High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.0Lowest	14.4Highest
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.