1st Advantage MortgageThe median Cumberland County household earns $95,677, and 7% of residents live below the poverty line. Use those as context only. A lender looks at your own documented income and debts; compare APR and total repaid on every Cumberland County offer.
On this page
- Who lives in Cumberland County
- What stands out in Cumberland County
- Employment and commuting in Cumberland County
- Homes and rents, Cumberland County
- Paychecks and income spread in Cumberland County
- Places inside Cumberland County
- Nearby counties: income, rent, ownership
- Budget math at the Cumberland County median
- Borrowing situations common in Cumberland County
- Cumberland County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Four steps for Cumberland County borrowers
- Maine rules that apply in Cumberland County
- Other Maine guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Cumberland County
Roughly 308,827 residents live in Cumberland County, Maine, 1st by population among the state's 16 counties and county equivalents. Density: about 369.3 residents per square mile across 836 square miles of land. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. Portland (68,854 people) heads the county's list of 38 Census places, 18 incorporated and 20 census-designated.
What stands out in Cumberland County
- Few Maine counties match Cumberland County on the share of households earning $100,000 or more: 48% here, 37% for the state, ranking the highest of 16. High earners still overpay when they skip comparing offers.
- Few Maine counties match Cumberland County on the share of adults with a bachelor's degree: 53% here, 36% for the state, ranking the highest of 16. Student loan payments count in a debt-to-income ratio, so list them.
- On the share of workers who work from home, Cumberland County sits near the top of Maine at 21.8%, the highest of 16. Remote workers should have W-2s or contracts ready to show income.
- On population, Cumberland County sits near the top of Maine at 308,827, the highest of 16. More people usually means more banks and credit unions to compare nearby.
Employment and commuting in Cumberland County
Top Cumberland County industry by residents employed: education and health care, 27%; second, professional and administrative services, 14%. Cumberland County over-indexes on professional and administrative services: 14% versus 10% in Maine. Unemployment in Cumberland County, ACS five-year: 3.1%; Maine: 3.8%. 32% of Cumberland County workers get to work in under 15 minutes, while 12% need 45 or more. Only 6.9% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Where residents work | Cumberland County | Difference from Maine |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.4% | 0.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 14.3% | +3.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.0% | -1.5 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 8.9% | +2.5 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.8% | +1.0 pts |
| Manufacturing | 7.7% | -1.2 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
Homes and rents, Cumberland County
Half of Cumberland County renters pay more than $1,589 a month and half pay less; the Maine midpoint is $1,139. 50% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 21% spend half or more. Home values center on $451,200, or 4.7 years of median income. 70% of Cumberland County households own their home and 30% rent. Median construction year: 1976.
| Home costs | Cumberland County | Maine | Compared with Maine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vacant units | 14% | 21% | -6.8 pts |
| Median home value | $451,200 | $296,600 | 52% higher |
| Owners | 70% | 74% | -4.5 pts |
| Mobile homes | 4.0% | 8.2% | -4.1 pts |
| Median gross rent | $1,589/mo | $1,139/mo | 40% higher |
| Rent-burdened renters | 50% | 48% | +1.5 pts |
| Burdened owners | 27% | 27% | -0.3 pts |
Paychecks and income spread in Cumberland County
Cumberland County households have a median income of $95,677 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 1st of 16 in Maine.
| Yearly household income | Cumberland County | Gap to Maine |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 16.2% | -6.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 35.8% | -5.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 31.9% | +4.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 16.0% | +6.7 pts |
The spread is wide: 48% of Cumberland County households make $100,000 or more, and 16% make less than $35,000. Cumberland County counts about 22,691 residents below the poverty line, 7.3% of the population. None of these numbers decides a Cumberland County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Places inside Cumberland County
The table lists the 14 largest of 38 Census places in Cumberland County, by population. Together all 38 hold about 266,700 people, so roughly 14% of residents live outside any named place. Incomes vary by place: $180,625 at the median in Cousins Island, $55,428 in Bridgton. Rent is cheapest in Bridgton ($781) and steepest in Falmouth Foreside ($2,631). None of the 38 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | city | 68,854 | $79,540 | $1,577 | 14 mi |
| South Portland | city | 26,930 | $86,838 | $1,812 | 12 mi |
| Scarborough | town | 23,215 | $133,558 | $1,956 | 16 mi |
| Westbrook | city | 20,775 | $85,038 | $1,392 | 7 mi |
| Windham | town | 19,188 | $107,934 | $1,232 | 4 mi |
| Brunswick | CDP | 17,652 | $70,722 | $1,465 | 20 mi |
| Cape Elizabeth | town | 9,606 | $145,821 | $2,185 | 18 mi |
| Cumberland | town | 8,647 | $173,894 | $2,143 | 4 mi |
| Gorham | CDP | 7,593 | $128,190 | $1,573 | 10 mi |
| Yarmouth | CDP | 6,289 | $93,575 | $1,663 | 7 mi |
| New Gloucester | town | 5,766 | $108,797 | $1,150 | 10 mi |
| Oak Hill | CDP | 5,631 | $97,610 | $1,743 | 15 mi |
| North Windham | CDP | 5,417 | $88,522 | $1,248 | 5 mi |
| Harpswell | town | 5,046 | $96,250 | $1,348 | 19 mi |
Nearby counties: income, rent, ownership
Six nearby counties, 25 to 50 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Strafford County leads the group on income ($88,570), Androscoggin County trails ($67,873), and Cumberland County out-earns 6 of the six. The list crosses into New Hampshire, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County | - | $95,677 | $1,589/mo | 70% |
| Sagadahoc County, ME | 25 mi | $87,806 | $1,098/mo | 78% |
| Androscoggin County, ME | 26 mi | $67,873 | $1,010/mo | 68% |
| York County, ME | 31 mi | $88,333 | $1,339/mo | 77% |
| Lincoln County, ME | 43 mi | $76,875 | $1,055/mo | 82% |
| Carroll County, NH | 44 mi | $86,463 | $1,195/mo | 83% |
| Strafford County, NH | 50 mi | $88,570 | $1,488/mo | 67% |
Budget math at the Cumberland County median
How much room does a median Cumberland County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- $7,973 a month: gross income for a household at the Cumberland County median
- Median rent: $1,589, or 20 cents of every gross dollar
- Under a 36% cap, $2,870 total minus rent leaves $1,281
- With a 43% ceiling, about $1,839 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
These are gross figures; take-home pay in Cumberland County will be lower after taxes and deductions.
Borrowing situations common in Cumberland County
Based on the Cumberland County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- 48% at $100,000+. Good credit gets more offers in Cumberland County; use that to compare, not to borrow more.
- Cumberland County rent burden. 50% of renters are cost-burdened; ask your landlord about a payment plan before borrowing for rent.
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
Cumberland County residents: age, schooling, coverage
53% of Cumberland County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. Health coverage gaps: 4.7% of Cumberland County residents are uninsured.
| People and households | Cumberland County | Compared with Maine | Compared with median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.2 | -2.6 yrs | +0.7 yrs |
| Bachelor's or higher | 53.0% | +16.8 pts | +30.9 pts |
| No high school diploma | 3.2% | -2.0 pts | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.7% | -1.5 pts | -3.2 pts |
| No vehicle | 6.9% | +0.2 pts | +1.5 pts |
| Work from home | 21.8% | +5.9 pts | +13.1 pts |
| Poverty rate | 7.3% | -3.4 pts | -5.8 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.1% | -0.7 pts | -1.3 pts |
| Commute length | Cumberland County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 32.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 37.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 18.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.8% |
| 60+ min | 5.2% |
Four steps for Cumberland County borrowers
Before you apply, wherever you live in Cumberland County:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Cumberland County-area credit union.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Maine borrowers.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Maine rules that apply in Cumberland County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Cumberland County resident can confirm its license with the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions. Consumer lending in Maine is also overseen by the Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. Statewide data and rules: Maine guide.
Other Maine guides
No city in Cumberland County has its own guide yet; the state page is next up.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Cumberland County?
$95,677 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $74,733 for Maine. It ranks 1st of 16 in the state.
How much is rent in Cumberland County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,589 a month; 50% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live near Portland. Which guide is mine?
This one. Portland and the rest of Cumberland County have no separate city guide.
Will a Cumberland County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Maine as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
How do I know a lender is legitimate in Cumberland County?
Look it up with the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions, read the written offer, and refuse any fee before funding.