Thanks for the feedback. We took our statistics from the U.S. Census bureau as detailed in the post by Pete123. Outside

Nice article, but including the population of towns 20 miles away - in a state with no large continuous metro areas to tie the areas and suburbs together like Boston or L. A., is silly. Portland is small - only 64 thousand, approx.

There aren't a half million people in Cumberland County let alone Portland. According to census.gov, the US Census Bureau's website, the estimated population of Portland in 2006 was 63,011. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/23/2360545.html. Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000, $98,700. Again, from the US Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/23000.html Where in the Census Bureau information did you get your information?

Robin&Kevin - Go to "www.census.gov"- "Census Bureau Home Page"- "People&Households-Estimates" - "2009 Metropolitan&Micropolitan Total Population Estimates" - "Population Change & Rankings" - "Estimates of Population change for Metro Statistical Areas & Rankings,Jul1,2008-July1,2009" - "Excel"or"CSV" - CBSACode38860= Portland-SouthPortland-Biddeford,ME"- "Population Estimate on July 1, 2009 = 516,826"

Robin, Portland Maine's Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA=GreaterPortland) includes 3 counties: Cumberland(278,589),Sagadahoc(36,391 & York(201,876) for a total poulation of 516,826 according to the US Census Bureau. The entire population of 516,826 lives less than 1 hour from Downton Portland and the vast majority within one half hour. The MSA radius extends around Portland from Bath to Bridgton to Kittery. Surveys use MSA to show suburban population economic/social impact on the urban core.

Sorry, Cumberland County has a population of 278,559

Edie, The population total 230,000 you mention must be from Portland's website. I have no idea where that came. Cumberland County alone is 278,559. A city of 64,000 could not possibly support all of the athletic,cultural, financial and job opportunties in Portland. That is why cities now show their MSA to reflect the economic and dynamic impact of the total surrounding suburban population on the core city. Portland's city population of 64,000 will also include MSA of 516,826 more often.

The job opportunities many come here - and are fond of quoting/making reference to - are not even found in Portland itself. Portland's small population supports what is found in Portland as many of the oft-quoted "major employers" are in Westbrook and South Portland.

Do you take climatic conditions into your "best towns" equation? Reading this blurb one might make the mistaken assumption that Portland, Maine is actually Portland, Oregon. The long, dark, cold Maine winter is what keeps the population low. Southern Maine is awash with tourists in the summer, but they flee like rats from a sinking ship come fall. "Best town in the East" for maybe 6 months of the year is more accurate.

Rico,You know a lot about rats but your belt size is greater than your IQ.FYI,Portland,ME is only 100 miles from Boston and daily Amtrak commuter trains connect the cities. Portland and Boston share the same "climatic conditions" as well as Dedham, MA, Storrs,CT and Ithaca, NY.Your ship analogy doesn't hold water. Maine's winter tourism is big-business. Maine's Western mountains attract 1.5 million Ski & Snowboard tourists, economic impact= $300 Million, snowmobiling also pumps in $300 million.

The ocean moderates the winters. I love my little city by the bay!

Statistics, population and long Winter aside, those of us who here and countless others know that Portland, Maine is a wonderful place to live. We are blessed.

Should say "long Winters aside" and "those of us who live here." I love my lil city by the bay too!

Yeah!! Love Portland, ME! I have been here for 4 years and plan on staying!! Having lived in Telluride, Tahoe, LA and Bloomington, IN this place has it all. Big city amenities, with a small town feel. Food is amazing, surfing is actually decent and the skiing...good on plus 12 inch days! The summers are what drawl people here and the community is what keeps them! The standard of living is excellent and with the mild winter we had last year...it will be like N Carolina by the time I retire!

The population figure you use is from Portland Oregon, not Portland Maine.

Purely using Census numbers is misleading and underreporting. Including York County especially Kittery which is actually a suburb of Portsmouth New Hampshire if you want to get technical, of course would give larger numbers but is not a good representation of the town you are highlighting. It would be like including Trenton in a population breakdown for New York City. Sure people commute from Trenton but you wouldn't include them in population numbers.

Apparently we in Portland have a working waterfront, people aimlessly walking through the old port with surf boards and a population of over half a million... I'd like to see a show of figures that determines Portland a "working waterfront". By my understanding, saying that our harbor and all constituent industries therein is today a mere shadow of it's former self would be an egregious overstatement. Ah well, at least you didn't mention Gritty McDuff's or Shipyard beer. Kudos.

I thought the Forbes write-up declaring Portland the most livable city in the U.S. based on unemployment, increase of income per household over a 3 year period, home value and crime rate was more than a bit spurious as well. Especially because at the time I was bouncing from $8.50/hr job to $8.50/hr job during the "are we in a recession" years. Thanks to Pete123 for showing the work regarding the much inflated population numbers. Please to note: Biddeford is not Portland, not even greater ptow

I thought the Forbes write-up declaring Portland the most livable city in the U.S. based on unemployment, increase of income per household over a 3 year period, home value and crime rate was more than a bit spurious as well. Especially because at the time I was bouncing from $8.50/hr job to $8.50/hr job during the "are we in a recession" years. Thanks to Pete123 for showing the work regarding the much inflated population numbers. Please to note: Biddeford is not Portland, not even greater ptow

I thought the Forbes write-up declaring Portland the most livable city in the U.S. based on unemployment, increase of income per household over a 3 year period, home value and crime rate was more than a bit spurious as well. Especially because at the time I was bouncing from $8.50/hr job to $8.50/hr job during the "are we in a recession" years. Thanks to Pete123 for showing the work regarding the much inflated population numbers. Please to note: Biddeford is not Portland, not even greater ptow

PortlandDave, I live in York which is 64mi from Boston (1 1/4hr), the same distance as Trenton, NJ is from NYC 66 mi(1 1/4hr). Trentonites don't consider themselves as part of Greater NYC,just as we don't consider ourselves as part of Greater Boston,MA. We DO live in Greater Portland,ME(not Portsmouth,NH!).York is 44 mi (3/4hr) from Portland and we pefer to go to Portland because it is less expensive, less congested & takes 1hr less travel time. Portland is a great city.

Mr.JB-Only referring to Portland's population of 64,000 is misleading.A city of 64,000 cannot support all of the dynamic activity in Portland. The economic and social impact of a population of 516,000, living less than a 1 hour drive of the city, explains the economic force that drives Portland's dynamic economy.Not just "inflated population numbers" they are facts based on empirical data and should be used. Biddeford is in the Portland MSA. Residents attend activities & spend money in Portland.

So, Pete, maybe you could elucidate the fact that the CITY or in this case "TOWN" of Portland has less than 70,000 inhabitants "supported" by over a half a million people within a hours drive. For such a small blurb I would imagine this would take little more than an extra line of text. I am within an hours drive of Kittery, Maine or Portsmouth, New Hampshire and I "support" these towns regularly. Am I a resident of these towns? Is it "misleading" to say that I don't live in these places???

Your lumping of THREE (3) COUNTIES in Maine toward the population of a city that exists in one county (in a small scale I might add to the greater breadth and relatively unbuilt environment of said county). Outside magazine's model may work for larger cities but certainly not in this case. This shows a clear lack of understanding for the locality you are attempting to report on. Kindly and honorably cease and desist; you are continually spurning an influx that this "town" cannot support.

FACT: US Census Bureau has the population of Cumberland, York and Sagadahoc counties as 516,826. These are not "inflated numbers"these are FACTS.This population lives within one hour of Portland,ME and the Census Bureau, not "I", combined the three counties together as Portland's MSA(Greater Portland).Outside Magazine didn't print MSA next to Portland's population total(as they did with Boise,Idaho).I posted to explain Outside Magazine's population source. OK I'm bored. Contact US Census Bureau

Maybe I'll start writing articles on cities I have never visited and use government data blindly. I always thought that was something inexperienced bloggers did, apparently widely distributed magazines can do the same.

Having more people in a metro area is no always a good thing I live in Phoenix n I can't wait to short sale my house that is worth 75000 now n paid 207000 4 nobody does anything here but sit in traffic and go to a mall I miss Portland Maine area lots n can't wait to get out of Mexico n go to America Portland Maine u r trully a great place to live it took leaving 4 10 years to realize that n the ones who don't like Maine than go somewhere else n don't ruin it 4 who love it