Portland, Maine is a vibrant city that offers a wide range of health care options for its residents. The city has a population of over 66,000 people and is home to two major hospitals: Maine Medical Center and Mercy Hospital. Residents can also access medical care from a variety of smaller local facilities such as specialty practices, urgent care centers, and community health clinics. While the cost of health care can be expensive for some residents, there are many programs available that assist with the cost for lower-income individuals and families. Portland is also very proactive in promoting public health initiatives including nutrition education campaigns and regular screenings to detect early signs of disease or illness. Overall, Portland has a strong commitment to providing its citizens with quality healthcare options.
The health of a city has many different factors. It can refer to air quality, water quality, risk of getting respiratory disease or cancer. The people you live around can also affect your health as some places have lower or higher rates of physical activity, increased alcohol intake, smoking, obesity, and cancer rates.
Physicians per Capita
There are 450 physicians per 100,000 population in Portland. The US average is 210 per 100,000 people.
Health Cost Index
The annual BestPlaces Health Cost Index for the Portland area is 98.6 (lower=better). The US average is 100.
98.6 / 100
Example: 110 = 10% more expensive than national average.
Water Qualtiy Index
The annual BestPlaces Water Quality Index for the Portland area is 70 (100=best). The US average is 55.
70 / 100
Note that this is a measure of Watershed quality, not the water that comes from your faucet. The EPA has stated that a healthy watershed is closely related to drinking water quality. The EPA has a complex method of measuring watershed quality using 15 indicators such as pH, chemicals, metals, and bacteria.
Superfund Index
The annual BestPlaces Superfund Index for the Portland area is 85 (100=best). The US average is 87.
85 / 100
The EPA's Superfund program is responsible for cleaning up some of our nation's most contaminated land. Our index is based on the number of active Superfund sites (over 15,000 in the United States), with particular attention paid to those on the National Priorities List which pose the greatest health danger.
Quick Facts
Commuting can effect your health. The average person in Portland commutes 19.1 minutes one-way, which is shorter than the US average of 26.4 minutes.
Air Quality Index
The annual BestPlaces Air Quality Index for the Portland area is 54 (100=best). The US average is 58.
54 / 100
This is based on new measures of hazardous air pollutants from the EPA, called the National Air Toxics Assessment. This analysis models respiratory illness and cancer risk down to the zip code level, providing better detail and insight than the previous analysis based solely on results from air monitoring stations.