Portland, ME lighthouse

iStock/Sean Pavone

2021 Top 100 Best Places to Live In America Sponsored by:

UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.

liv score
695
How We Calculate Our Data
Civics 62
Demographics 37
Economy 66
Education 65
Health 77
Housing 49
Infrastructure 51

#44. Portland, ME

You know it for its lobster and lighthouses, but Portland, ME isn’t just a picturesque place to visit. It’s a phenomenal place to live thanks to its robust economy, where sociable self-starters are fueling a creative renaissance and joining tech and health care companies. Local islands and beaches, cobblestone streets and whoopie pies (they’re big here!) sweeten the deal. 

Top Colleges/Universities: University of Southern Maine & Southern Maine Community College

Top Industries & Employers: Major industries in Maine include health care, finance and life insurance. WEX, a financial services company, is a major employer in the area and Covetrus, a pet health tech company, has its headquarters in Portland.

Weekend Plans: Explore the local beaches, whether it’s a picnic at Crescent Beach, surfing at Higgins, spotting seals at East End Beach or kayaking at Pine Point Beach. Eight distinctive beaches are near Portland.

Favorite Place to Feast: High Roller Lobster, which has a lobster-centric menu with (of course) lobster rolls as well as lobster tacos, BLTs and rangoons. Whoopie pies are also on the menu.  

Beloved Beverage: Wicked good beer from Shipyard Brewing Co.

Outdoorsy Activity: Hop on a ferry or sail out to one of Casco Bay’s islands, which are just off the coast of Portland.

Rooftop Bar: Slurp oysters and enjoy well-balanced cocktails at Luna Rooftop, which has a bird’s-eye view of the working waterfront.

Why Your Pet Will Love It, Too: Explore nearby Acadia National Park with your dog. 

Remote Work Perk: If you’re an entrepreneur or self-employed, you’ll have resources galore here, from a bevy of professional groups to coworking spaces to private investors interested in mentoring and investing in early-stage companies.

One More Thing … Portland was the Maine state capital until 1832 when the capital was moved to Augusta.

– Brittany Anas

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