The Town FilesNew Portland, Maine
Town in Somerset County · population 765 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $176,000
- Household income
- $74,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 81 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 41.4
New Portland is a town of 765 people in Somerset County, Maine. The median home is worth $176,000, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). It ranks quieter than 96% of Maine towns, better for cycling than 87% of Maine towns, hipper than 79% of Maine towns.
How New Portland ranks
Percentile among Maine towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Maine towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in New Portland is worth $176,000, below the typical Maine town ($238,950). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $74,375, which is more affordable than 87% of Maine towns. Median rent is $337 a month. 94.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | New Portland | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $176,000 | $238,950 |
| Median rent | $337 | $1,027 |
| Median household income | $74,375 | $68,967 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 94.1% | 82.4% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 33.9% | — |
Who lives in New Portland
| People | New Portland | Typical Maine town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.4 | 46.9 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.6% | 22.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.7% | 28.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.5% | 10.7% |
| Veterans | 8.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 12.3% |
| Average commute | 31.6 min | 25.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.6% | 90.0% |
Weather in New Portland
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 5.5°F. About 41.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 81.4 inches of snow (typical Maine town: 77.2 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 172 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Portland since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical Maine town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 1, 2011 about 2.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 1, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 7 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 1, 2011.
Severe weather in Somerset County since 1996
Somerset County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4754: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 14, 2023 | Hurricane | EM-3598: Hurricane Lee |
| July 6, 2023 | Flood | DR-4719: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 22, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4696: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4522: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Somerset County
Somerset County had 16,034 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,148 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in New Portland itself the ACS puts it at 7.4%.
Towns near New Portland
- Kingfield, ME6.0 mi · 640 people · home $174,800
- Anson, ME6.7 mi · 2,291 people · home $117,800
- Embden, ME6.9 mi · 902 people · home $173,400
- New Vineyard, ME7.1 mi · 721 people · home $190,000
- Kingfield, ME8.1 mi · 960 people · home $194,300
- Industry, ME10.3 mi · 788 people · home $205,600
- Strong, ME10.3 mi · 1,122 people · home $183,900
- Anson, ME10.9 mi · 680 people · home $100,400
New Portland questions
Is New Portland, Maine a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, New Portland scores better for retirees than 45% of Maine towns and quieter than 96%. 17.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.4).
How much does a house cost in New Portland?
The median owner-occupied home in New Portland is valued at $176,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,375, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $337 a month.
What is the weather like in New Portland?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows 5.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 81.4 inches of snow.
Does New Portland get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Portland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 1, 2011. The typical Maine town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)