Portland, Maine
Portland is a city of 68,854 people in Cumberland County, Maine, founded in 1632.
Why visit Portland
Townapedia lists 119 museums and landmarks, 85 parks and trails, 155 places to eat, 14 places to stay and 16 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cape Elizabeth Light, Portland Breakwater Light, Portland Observatory and Ram Island Ledge Light.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; January lows average 16°F, and about 69 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Portland
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Portland
Portland is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine. Its population was 68,408 at the 2020 census and the Greater Portland metropolitan area has a population of approximately 550,000 people, the most populous metropolitan area in Maine. It is the county seat of Cumberland County. Historically tied to commercial shipping, the marine economy, and light industry, Portland's economy in the 21st century relies mostly on the service sector.
From the Wikipedia article Portland, Maine (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do16
Cape Elizabeth Light
Lighthouse · National Register of Historic Places · 4.7 mi
Eastern of two lighthouses at Cape Elizabeth, Maine, United States
Portland Breakwater Light
Lighthouse · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Lighthouse in Maine, United States
Veteran's Memorial Bridge
Bridge · 5.0 mi
Bridge in Maine, United States of America
4 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks119
Portland Observatory
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Signal and observation tower in Maine, United States
138 Congress Street, Portland
Ram Island Ledge Light
Lighthouse · National Register of Historic Places
Lighthouse in Maine, United States
Battery Steele
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
United States military fortification
Eastern Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Cemetery in Portland, Maine
Fort Gorges
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Fort in Maine
Lincoln Park
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Urban park in downtown Portland, Maine
Portland City Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
Government building in Maine, USA
389 Congress Street, Portland
Portland Head Light
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, United States
Victoria Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
Historic house in Portland (Maine), United States
109 Danforth Street, Portland
68 High Street
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
Apartment building and former hospital in Portland, Maine, USA
A.B. Butler House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.3 mi
Historic house in Portland, Maine, United States
107 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds85
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73 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes155
Cheese Louise
Restaurant · Grilled Cheese · 3.7 mi
363 Fore Street, Portland
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-13:00
El Rayo Taqueria
Restaurant · Mexican, Burrito, Nachos, Tacos · 4.0 mi
26 Free Street, Portland
Mo-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 11:00-19:30
Flatbread Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 3.6 mi
72 Commercial Street, Portland
Su-Th 11:00-21:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Fore Street Restaurant
Diner · American · 3.7 mi
288 Fore Street, Portland
Su-Th 17:30-22:00; Fr-Sa 17:30-22:30
Ocean House Market
Restaurant · Coffee Shop, Seafood, Sandwich · 3.3 mi
512 Ocean Street, South Portland
Mo-Sa 10:00-19:00
Rí Ra Irish Pub & Restaurant - Portland
Restaurant · Irish · 3.6 mi
72 Commercial Street, Portland
Mo-Fr 10:00-25:00; Sa-Su 09:00-25:00
143 more on the map.
History
The original Algonquin-speaking Eastern Abenaki residents called the Portland peninsula Machigonne ("great neck"). It is also called Məkíhkanək ("at the fish hook") in Penobscot.
The first European settler was Christopher Levett, an English naval captain granted 6,000 acres (9.4 sq mi; 2,400 ha) in 1623 to found a settlement in Casco Bay. A member of the Council for New England and agent for Ferdinando Gorges, Levett built a stone house where he left a company of ten men, then returned to England to write a book about his voyage to bolster support for the settlement. Ultimately, the settlement was a failure and the fate of Levett's colonists is unknown. The explorer sailed from England to the Massachusetts Bay Colony to meet John Winthrop in 1630, but never returned to Maine. Fort Levett in the harbor is named for him.
The peninsula was settled in 1632 as a fishing and trading village named Casco. When the Massachusetts Bay Colony took over Casco Bay in 1658, the town's name changed again to Falmouth. In 1676, the village was destroyed by the Abenaki during King Philip's War. It was rebuilt. During King William's War, a raiding party of French and their native allies attacked and largely destroyed it again in the Battle of Fort Loyal (1690).
From the History section of Portland, Maine on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay14
Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront
Motel and hotel · 3.7 mi
65 Commercial Street, Portland
Churches and places of worship24
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
Church · Roman Catholic · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
307 Congress Street, Portland
First Baptist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
First Parish Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Mariner's Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Spurwink Congregational Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 5.0 mi
St. Paul's Church and Rectory
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Green Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Church · African Methodist Episcopal Zion · 3.8 mi
46 Sheridan Street, Portland
St. Pauls Anglican Church
Church · Anglican · 3.9 mi
279 Congress Street, Portland
Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 3.9 mi
8 Beach Avenue, Long Island
Shopping26
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries40
Cape Elizabeth High School
School · 3.7 mi
345 Ocean House Road, Cape Elizabeth
Baxter Academy For Tech & Sciences
School · 4.3 mi
185 Lancaster Street, Portland
Dora L Small Elementary School
School · 2.5 mi
87 Thompson Street, South Portland
Healthcare4
East End Family Medicine Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 3.9 mi
272 Congress Street, Portland
India Street Public Health Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 3.9 mi
103 India Street, Portland
Map of Portland
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 16°F | 3.5 in | 18.6 in |
| Feb | 35°F | 17°F | 3.5 in | 16.6 in |
| Mar | 42°F | 26°F | 4.1 in | 13.6 in |
| Apr | 54°F | 35°F | 4.4 in | 2.8 in |
| May | 64°F | 46°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 74°F | 55°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 80°F | 61°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 60°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 71°F | 52°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 41°F | 5.2 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 32°F | 4.2 in | 2.3 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 22°F | 4.5 in | 14.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Portland Intl Jetport Hcn 72606 (6 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Cumberland County has had 21 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-05-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-03-20: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2023-09-14: Hurricane Lee (Hurricane)
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-01-02: Severe Storm And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Portland International Jetport (PWM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.
- South Portland 5 mi west, about 8 min by car
- Falmouth 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Falmouth Foreside 7 mi north, about 11 min by car
- Oak Hill 8 mi west, about 13 min by car
- Westbrook 10 mi northwest, about 16 min by car
- Old Orchard Beach 11 mi southwest, about 18 min by car
- Dunstan 11 mi southwest, about 18 min by car
- Yarmouth 12 mi north, about 19 min by car
- Cumberland Center 12 mi north, about 19 min by car
- Saco 14 mi southwest, about 22 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Portland, Maine Montage, Karmos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Portland Head Light July 2016-1, RL0919, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Portland Head Light July 2016-2, RL0919, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Joseph Zarro, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Portland Light (9230389777), Rob Shenk from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Portland Head Light - Cape Elizabeth, Maine, USA - September 28, 2023 08, Giorgio Galeotti, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Plaque on the Portland headlight, Kimmann, CC0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2805355091), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2805354457), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2806202332), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2806202758), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2806204794), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Light (2805357839), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2805351535), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2806200648), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2805352463), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2805352305), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Light (2806208362), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2805351141), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2805354643), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Light (2806210430), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Light (2805355831), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Light (2806207850), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2805353159), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Light and Rams Ledge (2805356055), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2806200858), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2805352689), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Lighthouse (2806201274), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Portland Head Light (2806208116), Ted Kerwin, CC BY 2.0
- Ram Island Ledge Light, Jsfouche, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Victoria Mansion, Portland, Maine USA, Staib at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Portland Headlight 1, Aniarku, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Battery Steele, Sunilkabin, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fort gorges, This file comes from the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) or Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) . These are programs of the National Park..., Public domain
- The Portland City Hall (in 1910) — Portland, Maine., Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
- Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Portland ME 2012, Richard Diekema, CC BY-SA 3.0
- LincolnParkMaine, Thomas.macmillan, Public domain
- Eastern Cemetery, Portland, TM, Public domain
- Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse Portland Maine, Oguevara, CC BY-SA 4.0
- SAM 1258, Namiba, CC BY 3.0
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