Portland, Maine Is a Summer Job Hotspot, and It Just Beat Out Most of the Country

Maine’s largest city is known for many wonderful things.

It boasts a rich history, an incredible food scene, vibrant nightlife, and a gorgeous working waterfront.

And now, you can also add that it’s one of the best cities in America for summer employment.

Wallethub.com, a popular personal finance website, has published its annual report on the best American cities to for summer jobs. Not only can Portland be found near the top of the list, but it’s also one of the highest-ranked New England cities.

Portland, Maine, is One of the Best Cities for Summer Employment Opportunities

Portland ranks as the 4th best city for summer job opportunities, out of 182 cities included in WalletHub.com’s survey. That’s a very reputable ranking for Portland, especially considering it’s one of the top cities in the Northeast.

Maine scored 59.92 out of a possible 100 points. The scoring system is based on two main categories: Youth Job Market and Social Environment & Affordability. These categories are further broken down into 21 subcategories to ensure a detailed analysis. You can read more about the methodology here.

Maine finished with an overall ranking of 11th in Social Environment & Affordability. I'm not surprised to see such a high ranking in this category. That said, it is a bit unexpected—Portland isn't exactly known for its affordability. However, this just goes to show that we’re not alone in facing the widespread issue of rising housing and living costs.

The Pine Tree State performed even better in the Youth Job Market category, earning a 4th-place ranking. Portland is a tourist town, after all. Just think of the countless seasonal opportunities available to Maine’s young workforce.

While Portland had a strong showing, one New England city did beat it out. South Burlington, VT finished as the 3rd best city, just ahead of Portland.

Portland wasn’t the only Maine city represented in the survey, either. Lewiston was also included and performed quite well, finishing with an overall ranking of 30th. This included a solid 24th-place ranking in youth job opportunities.

What is the Best American City for Summer Employment Opportunities?

So, which city topped the survey? That would be Scottsdale, AZ. The city must have a ton of service industry jobs available, possibly helped by the 55,000 golf courses that can be found there.

READ MORE: Popular Portland Neighborhood Named Best in Maine for Foodies

Coming in dead last was the city of Memphis. I mean, there are a lot of jokes that could be made here, but I’ll be nice and just move on.

You can check out the entire list here.