Population 9,617 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Portland
Household size in Portland
| Period | Portland | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.49 | 2.51 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.36 | 2.52 | 2.61 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.45 | 2.49 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.55 | 2.47 | 2.55 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.04 | −0.02 | −0.03 |
The average household in Portland has 2.55 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Still, the typical household here is bigger than in the wider Hartford area, where it has 2.47 people. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.49, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Portland
| Period | Portland | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.9 | 40.4 | 40.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.4 | 41.2 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.5 | 41.9 | 42.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.8 | 41.9 | 42.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.2 | +1.5 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Portland is 43.8 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Portland
| Period | Portland | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 11.4% | 11.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 12.1% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 10.7% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 11.0% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −0.4 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Portland: 6.8% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Portland
Renters in Portland
| Period | Portland | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.3% | 31.0% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.7% | 32.4% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.4% | 33.7% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 16.0% | 32.7% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | +1.7 pts | +2.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 16.0% of households in Portland rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 30.6% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southwest; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Portland
| Period | Portland | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 8.0% | 8.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 8.2% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.8% | 9.2% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.2% | 7.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Portland is close to the national rate: 9.2% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Hartford area overall (7.7%). Vacancy has edged up 0.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Portland
| Period | Portland | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1964 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1965 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1962 | 1966 | 1964 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1965 | 1967 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | −0 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Portland is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1965, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. That is in line with the rest of the Hartford area. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the southwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Portland
| Period | Portland | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $959 | $1,014 | $1,127 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,163 | $1,114 | $1,218 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,150 | $1,229 | $1,380 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,290 | $1,559 | $1,702 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$331 | +$545 | +$575 | +$606 |
Rent in Portland runs $1,290 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $331 a month since 2006–10, up 35%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.9% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Portland
Bachelor's degrees in Portland
| Period | Portland | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.8% | 35.0% | 35.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.5% | 36.2% | 37.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.8% | 39.1% | 39.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 52.5% | 41.8% | 42.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.7 pts | +6.8 pts | +6.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Portland: 52.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 13.7 points, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Portland
| Period | Portland | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.7% | 88.3% | 88.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.0% | 89.6% | 89.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.0% | 90.7% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.1% | 91.8% | 91.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | +3.5 pts | +3.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Portland is above the national rate: 93.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Hartford area. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has fallen 1.6 points, even as the national rate rose.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Portland
| Period | Portland | Hartford area | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 7.6% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 9.5% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 5.7% | 6.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 5.2% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Portland has been low: just 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Portland compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | 2.55 | 43.8 | 6.8% | 16.0% | 9.2% | 1965 | $1,290 | 52.5% | 93.1% | 3.1% |
| Cobalt | 2.81 | 42.3 | 8.9% | 1.2% | 6.7% | 1978 | $1,382 | 46.3% | 98.7% | 6.2% |
| Cromwell | 2.48 | 44.0 | 8.7% | 17.9% | 8.1% | 1972 | $1,669 | 48.3% | 97.7% | 2.8% |
| Middletown | 2.19 | 38.9 | 11.4% | 47.2% | 6.9% | 1966 | $1,488 | 39.9% | 93.6% | 4.7% |
| South Glastonbury | 2.69 | 43.3 | 3.2% | 7.5% | 2.9% | 1981 | $1,399 | 76.3% | 99.0% | 3.9% |
| Rocky Hill | 2.27 | 44.9 | 5.1% | 31.7% | 4.9% | 1979 | $1,814 | 45.9% | 95.1% | 3.1% |
| Lake Pocotopaug | 2.48 | 40.7 | 5.1% | 13.4% | 9.7% | 1978 | $1,330 | 39.0% | 94.9% | 4.3% |
| East Hampton | 2.47 | 43.9 | 7.3% | 15.1% | 7.3% | 1975 | $1,406 | 38.7% | 95.7% | 4.6% |
| East Berlin | 2.20 | 51.1 | 9.2% | 22.9% | 5.0% | 1982 | $1,446 | 45.2% | 85.8% | 1.2% |
| Rockfall | 2.35 | 51.3 | 3.1% | 17.1% | 8.4% | 1964 | $3,363 | 41.6% | 95.7% | 1.1% |
| Maromas | 2.44 | 46.1 | 8.6% | 9.4% | 5.6% | 1980 | $1,496 | 45.5% | 94.8% | 4.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Crossett, AR · Waimanalo, HI · Wahpeton, ND · Waggaman, LA · Wading River, NY · Virginia, MN · Vicksburg, MI · Crownsville, MD · Crosswicks, NJ · Wakefield-Peacedale, RI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Portland. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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