How much rent can you afford in Portland, ME?
Run your salary against Portland's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Portland
At a median rent of $2,429/mo, Portland is moderately stretched when measured against Portland median household income of $79,540/yr. Rent would consume roughly 37% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $97,160 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
How Portland compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Portland?
On a $79,540 salary (the Portland median household income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $1,989/mo. Portland's median rent is $2,429/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Portland?
To keep Portland's $2,429/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $97,160/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Portland affordable on the median Maine income?
Portland is moderately stretched on a $79,540 income. Rent would take 37% of pre-tax pay, outside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".