Rents are 6% below what Portland's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $2,399 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Portland usually run 2.2% below trend in January and 1.9% above it in July, about $98 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Portland is 0.4% below its high of $2,408 in August 2026, at $2,399 as of September 2026.
Rent in Portland changed +2.1% over the year to September 2026. Across the 14 Maine cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.0%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Portland rose 39.3% while median household income rose 31.5% ($60,467 to $79,540). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Portland is 41.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($79,540) is $1,989 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,597); a 2-bedroom is $2,053.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Portland, 04103 ($2,714/mo), costs 18% more than the cheapest, 04101 ($2,296/mo).
Old Orchard Beach, 11 miles away, rents for 17% less ($1,985/mo), about $5,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Portland. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Portland, ME is roughly split between renters and owners, 59.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Portland, ME has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Portland, ME paid around $1,828 a month. That figure now sits near $2,399, up 31.2% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $79,540 today, compared with $66,109 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show Portland, ME adding about 791 residents over the five-year window, up 1.2% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 56.5% to 59.7% across the same window. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
Discussions about Portland
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At $2,399/mo, how Portland rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Portland rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Portland. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Portland
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Portland is $2,399/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,407/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $2,053/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,597/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,517/mo.
At 36% of local median household income ($79,540/yr), Portland ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does Portland rent compare to other cities in Maine?
At $2,399/mo, rent takes ~36% of Portland's median household income ($79,540/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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