New Report Ranks Portland, Maine, as One of America’s Healthiest Cities

Apparently, we are doing something right around here in Portland, because a recent report is praising us as quite the healthy community. Nice work, everyone.

WalletHub, a personal finance website, recently published its report on the healthiest and unhealthiest cities in America, and Portland landed high on the healthy side of the list.

How Healthy of a City is Portland, Maine?

Maine’s largest city was ranked as the 22nd healthiest city in America. Considering the study included 182 cities nationwide, that ranking is quite impressive. It’s also the second-highest-ranked New England city, behind Boston, which came in a few spots ahead at No. 17.

Portland’s total score was 56.85 out of a possible 100 points. The scoring was based on four major categories: healthcare, food, fitness, and green space. These categories were further broken down into 41 subcategories, ensuring the most accurate analysis possible.

Portland did exceptionally well in three of the four categories, including a standout showing in green space, where it ranked 6th overall. This is hardly surprising, considering the city is loaded with parks, bike lanes, hiking trails, and beautiful islands to explore.

Portland’s second-best category was healthcare, with a ranking of 13th. This is a great category to rank highly in, as it includes everything from physical to mental healthcare across all age groups. Credit goes to Portland’s healthcare community for keeping facilities updated and well-staffed.

The food category came in at 21st. That’s solid, especially for a smaller city. But make no mistake—Portland is a fantastic food destination. From an exceptional farmers market to a wealth of farm-to-table restaurants, it’s an ideal place to eat both healthy and hearty.

While those three rankings are excellent, it’s a different story for the fitness category. Portland ranked a surprising 118th. Wait, what? Apparently, the city isn’t scoring well in areas like fitness centers, active lifestyles, or intramural recreation. That’s a bit of a head-scratcher, considering how many options there are for staying active here.

Still, it’s a very good overall score for Portland—and something the city should be proud of. This is a wonderful community, and reports like this continue to highlight many of the reasons why that’s the case.

What are the Healthiest Cities in Portland, Maine?

So, how did the rest of New England fare? Here’s a closer look:

17. Boston, MA
28. South Burlington, VT
39. Burlington, VT
61. Providence, RI
68. Nashua, NH
80. Worcester, MA
87. Warwick, RI
88. Manchester, NH
89. Bridgeport, CT
108. New Haven, CT
155. Lewiston, ME (We have to work on this ranking, folks)

READ MORE: Where to Drink in Portland, Maine: The Highest-Rated Breweries on TripAdvisor

As for the healthiest city, that honor goes to San Francisco, CA, followed by San Diego, CA. And the unhealthiest? Brownsville, TX takes that title. You can find the full list online.