Photo: PhilipC · CC BY 2.0On CDC estimates, Portland is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns
Portland differs from Maine on 18 of 32 measures CDC estimates: 15 better, 3 worse.
Modeled estimates for adults 18+, CDC’s own estimate for Portland. How CDC estimates town health
What stands out about health in Portland
COPD and heart disease are less common in Portland
Portland runs below Maine on nine chronic conditions, most of all COPD (5.7% vs 8.4%), heart disease (5.2% vs 7.6%) and diabetes (8.3% vs 11.2%). A young population is part of it: only 17% of residents are 65 or older (Maine 22%). Conditions ↓
Binge drinking is the habit Portland doesn’t win on
18.3% of adults binge drink, vs 15.5% across Maine, even though fewer of them smoke and more of them exercise. Habits ↓
Portland is an active town
Only 17.1% of adults get no exercise outside work, vs 23.1% across Maine. The town has 69 miles of trails across 66 parks and preserves. Habits ↓
Portland has a top-rated hospital
Northern Light Mercy Hospital is rated 4 of 5 stars by Medicare and has an emergency room. Getting care ↓
Written from the CDC, Medicare and HRSA data on this page. CDC PLACES 2025 release: modeled estimates for adults, not counts; “higher” and “lower” mean the Maine figure falls outside Portland’s likely range.
What’s behind Portland’s grade
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portland is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns, #14 of 143 in Maine. Diabetes holds the grade up (fewer adults with diabetes than 95% of U.S. towns); mental distress pulls it down (better than 37%).
Health estimates follow income closely across the country: towns with higher household incomes usually score higher (a correlation of 0.77 across 21,157 graded towns). Portland’s median household income is $79,540; among the 10,768 U.S. towns within 25% of that ($60K–$99K), it’s healthier than 95%, about where its income would put it.
Out of every 100 Portland adults…
Portland runs below ME on 10 of 12 conditions. Tap one to see it as people.
Everyday habits, side by side with Maine
Share of adults, with the Maine figure marked.
69 miles of trails across 66 parks and preserves
Care in and near Portland
2 hospitals and 1 community health center in Portland, plus the nearest just outside it.
Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Portland; ≈ marks a hospital located by its town, not its street. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Keeping up with care
Share of Portland adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Maine.
How Portland adults are doing
About the same as Maine on each measure.
1 in 3 Portland adults feel lonely. A hello is a start.
Groups are the easiest way in: a walking group, a book club, your street.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.
Making ends meet
Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.
13% of Portland adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 14.3% across Maine.
Portland and the towns around it
Portland’s Health Grade ranks 3rd of 5 graded towns around it.
Nearby towns are shaded from CDC’s estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC’s own figure for cities and villages.
Health next door
| Town | Health | Obesity | Diabetes | Smoking | Figures from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | A | 27.7% | 8.3% | 11.1% | CDC place |
| Westbrook | A− | 27.8% | 8.9% | 12.4% | CDC place |
| Falmouth | A+ | 24.2% | 8.5% | 7.8% | ZIP 04105 |
| South Portland | A− | 27% | 8.7% | 11.4% | CDC place |
| Chebeague Island | — | — | — | — | |
| Long Island | — | — | — | — | |
| Cape Elizabeth | A+ | 24.3% | 8.8% | 7.3% | ZIP 04107 |
| Falmouth | — | — | — | — |
Chebeague Island and Long Island: fewer than 1,000 residents. Falmouth: a Census-designated place inside a larger town, graded as part of it. Same-state neighbors only, ordered by length of shared border.
Living with a disability
Shown without a better/worse judgment.
of Portland adults live with a disability (Maine 32.1%). Thinking or memory is the most common.
Every CDC estimate for Portland
Share of adults, 40 measures, with CDC’s likely range.
On the 32 measures below that have a better and a worse direction, Portland is better than Maine on 15 and worse on 3; on the rest, the Maine figure falls inside Portland’s likely range, so we call them about the same. Disability and SNAP are described, not compared as better or worse.
| Adults who… | Portland | ME | U.S. | vs ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall health | ||||
| Fair or poor health | 14.8%13.2–16.3 | 18.7% | 19.4% | Better |
| Frequent physical distress (physical health not good 14+ days a month) | 11.6%10.5–12.9 | 14.3% | 13% | Better |
| Frequent mental distress (mental health not good 14+ days a month) | 17.8%16.2–19.5 | 17.7% | 15.9% | About the same |
| Conditions | ||||
| Obesity | 27.7%24.1–31.4 | 32.7% | 32.9% | Better |
| Diabetes | 8.3%7.3–9.3 | 11.2% | 12% | Better |
| High blood pressure | 29.7%27.3–32.2 | 35.7% | 34.4% | Better |
| High cholesterol (adults screened in 5 years) | 30.7%28.2–33.1 | 37.4% | 37.1% | Better |
| Arthritis | 24%22–26 | 32% | 25.3% | Better |
| Asthma | 12.2%11–13.5 | 12.6% | 9.9% | About the same |
| Cancer, other than skin cancer | 7.7%7.1–8.4 | 9.9% | 7.9% | Better |
| Coronary heart disease | 5.2%4.7–5.7 | 7.6% | 6.4% | Better |
| COPD | 5.7%5.1–6.3 | 8.4% | 6.3% | Better |
| Stroke | 2.7%2.4–2.9 | 3.6% | 3.4% | Better |
| Lost all teeth (ages 65+) | 11.3%9.5–13.3 | 14.8% | 12.3% | Better |
| Habits | ||||
| Smoke cigarettes | 11.1%9.8–12.5 | 14.4% | 11.8% | Better |
| No exercise outside work | 17.1%15–19.2 | 23.1% | 24.7% | Better |
| Binge drinking | 18.3%16–20.8 | 15.5% | 15.4% | Worse |
| Sleep under 7 hours | 30.9%27.6–34.3 | 32.8% | 36% | About the same |
| Checkups and coverage | ||||
| No health insurance (ages 18–64) | 7.2%6.1–8.3 | 7.8% | 11% | About the same |
| Checkup in the past year | 78.5%75.8–81 | 81.2% | 77.4% | Worse |
| Dentist visit in the past year | 68.3%65.7–70.9 | 63.8% | 63.2% | Better |
| Cholesterol check in 5 years | 85.9%84.2–87.5 | 87.1% | 87.1% | About the same |
| Taking blood pressure medicine (adults with high blood pressure) | 70.4%67.6–73 | 76.4% | 76.5% | Worse |
| Colorectal cancer screening (ages 45–75) | 71.7%68.4–74.6 | 70.5% | 65.5% | About the same |
| Mammogram in 2 years (women 50–74) | 80.7%76.4–84.7 | 80.3% | 76.4% | About the same |
| Mind and connection | ||||
| Ever told they have depression | 26.5%23.9–29.2 | 26.9% | 20.6% | About the same |
| Feel lonely | 32.6%29.8–35.6 | 32% | 32.5% | About the same |
| Lack social and emotional support | 22.3%20.1–24.6 | 22.7% | 23.6% | About the same |
| Everyday needs | ||||
| Worried about having enough food | 9.9%8.7–11.3 | 10.7% | 15% | About the same |
| Worried about keeping housing | 9.9%8.7–11.2 | 9.8% | 12% | About the same |
| Threatened with a utility shut-off | 7.7%6.8–8.6 | 7.4% | 7.6% | About the same |
| Lack reliable transportation | 8%7.2–8.9 | 7.8% | 7.9% | About the same |
| Received SNAP (food stamps) | 13%11.5–14.6 | 14.3% | 11.6% | About the same |
| Disability | ||||
| Any disability | 25.9%23.6–28.4 | 32.1% | 30.1% | Lower |
| Difficulty walking or climbing stairs | 9.7%8.7–10.9 | 14% | 13.6% | Lower |
| Difficulty concentrating or remembering | 14.4%13–15.8 | 15.5% | 13.9% | About the same |
| Hearing difficulty | 6.1%5.4–6.7 | 8.4% | 6.7% | Lower |
| Vision difficulty | 3.6%3.3–4 | 4.4% | 5.4% | Lower |
| Difficulty doing errands alone | 7.1%6.4–7.8 | 8.1% | 7.9% | Lower |
| Difficulty dressing or bathing | 2.8%2.5–3 | 3.5% | 3.8% | Lower |
Each figure is the share of adults 18+ unless the label says otherwise; small numbers after it are CDC’s likely range (95% interval). “About the same” means the Maine figure falls inside that range.
Questions about health in Portland
Is Portland a healthy place to live?
On seven CDC estimates for adults, Portland is healthier than 85% of U.S. towns: A for health, #14 of 143 in Maine. Among U.S. towns with similar household incomes it’s healthier than 95%. These are modeled estimates of who lives there, not a measure of local care or habits alone.
What is the obesity rate in Portland?
CDC estimates 27.7% of adults have obesity, likely between 24.1% and 31.4%, against 32.7% across Maine and 32.9% nationally.
What hospital is closest to Portland?
Northern Light Mercy Hospital in Portland, 4.2 miles in a straight line from Portland’s center point, is the nearest general hospital with an emergency room; Medicare rates it 4 of 5 stars.
How many people in Portland have no health insurance?
CDC estimates 7.2% of adults ages 18–64 have no health insurance (likely 6.1–8.3%), against 7.8% across Maine.
How accurate are these numbers?
They’re modeled estimates: CDC applies national survey answers to each area’s age, sex, race and education mix, so they describe who lives in Portland more than anything measured there. At the ends of CDC’s ranges the grade could be anywhere from B+ to A.
Neighbors talk health
Doctors taking patients, urgent care, staying active in Portland.
Health estimates: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Maine figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. The Health Grade is our own summary of CDC’s estimates, not an official rating. Ages: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau. This page isn’t medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.