Inground pool cost in Portland, ME
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (450 sq ft)
- $34,600 – $108,500
- Per sq ft
- $77 – $240
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −4%
- US $74,500
- Rank of 300 metros
- #174
- 1 = most expensive
Local price for an inground pool in the Portland area: $34,600 to $108,500 for 450 sq ft. The low end is a basic job on easy ground; the high end is a premium spec with harder access. The midpoint runs 4% lower than the US figure. Construction laborers earn a median of $23.31 an hour in the Portland area, 3% above the US median of $22.66.
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Estimated cost for 450 sq ft in Portland, ME, standard level
$56,700 to $86,200
About $126 to $191 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 51% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $27,400 | $41,700 |
| Labor | $29,200 | $44,200 |
| Permits and fees | $160 | $240 |
| Total | $56,700 | $86,200 |
Cost breakdown for 450 sq ft in Portland, ME
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $16,600 | $34,500 | $52,500 | 48% |
| Labor | $17,900 | $36,700 | $55,500 | 51% |
| Permits and fees | $100 | $200 | $310 | 0% |
| Total | $34,600 | $71,500 | $108,500 | 100% |
What is behind the Portland number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 4 trades: construction laborers at 40%, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at 30%, brickmasons and blockmasons at 20%, plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters at 10%. Weighted together, Portland wages are 0.95 times the national level. Labor makes up about 51% of the midpoint estimate (52% at national prices).
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Portland is at 97.2 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $35,600 nationally becomes $34,500 here (midpoint, 450 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 101.9: $100 to $310.
Data note: 20% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Portland. The wage table below marks each row.
Planning more than one job in Portland?
Jobs that often go together with inground pool are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Portland wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, concrete patio comes out highest (+2%) and retaining wall lowest (−8%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum fence | 150 linear ft | $3,800 – $11,400 | level |
| Paver patio | 300 sq ft | $2,900 – $5,250 | −3% |
| Concrete patio | 300 sq ft | $1,250 – $4,100 | +2% |
| Wood deck | 300 sq ft | $7,600 – $15,300 | +1% |
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $610 – $2,150 | +2% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,350 – $12,500 | −8% |
Portland: what basic, standard and premium work costs
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Portland. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small pool (400 sq ft) to large (800 sq ft).
Basic
$34,600 to $64,100
Vinyl-liner pool, small size
Standard
$56,700 to $86,200
Fiberglass pool, standard size
Premium
$78,800 to $108,500
Concrete or gunite, large with custom features
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small pool (400 sq ft) | $30,800 – $57,000 | $50,400 – $76,600 | $70,100 – $96,300 |
| average (512 sq ft) | $39,400 – $72,900 | $64,500 – $98,000 | $89,600 – $123,000 |
| large (800 sq ft) | $61,500 – $114,000 | $100,500 – $153,000 | $140,000 – $192,000 |
Specs and site conditions that change a Portland bid
Pool type
Vinyl pools are $25,000-$65,000, fiberglass $45,000-$100,000, and concrete or gunite $50,000-$120,000 (HomeGuide).
Maintenance
Pool maintenance is $80-$150 a month; concrete pools also need an acid wash every 3-5 years at $300-$1,000.
Permit
A building permit for a pool is $100-$300 and contractors often include it. Many cities add plumbing and electrical permits.
The best months for inground pool in Portland
Climate numbers on this page come from NOAA's 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals at the nearest suitable station, Portland Intl Jetport (5 miles from the city center). They are 30-year averages, so any one year can run hotter, colder or wetter.
For pouring concrete, the comfortable months in Portland are May through October: 6 of 12. Outside them, January, February, March, April, November and December have an average overnight low of 40°F or below.
The 40°F line is a deliberately cautious stand-in. The American Concrete Institute's cold-weather guide (ACI 306R-16) defines cold-weather concreting around an average daily air temperature below 40°F, which is colder than our test of an average overnight low at or below 40°F, so we flag a few extra shoulder months. In cold weather crews may need heated enclosures, insulating blankets or accelerated mixes, and those measures can raise a quote.
Portland gets about 48 inches of precipitation in a normal year, including roughly 69 inches of snow. The wettest months are April, October and December (5.3 inches in October). Inside the workable window, July and August are the driest, at 3.4 and 3.6 inches. The station averages about 5 days a year at 90°F or above.
We do not adjust the estimate by month, because we have no reliable published data on seasonal pricing. It is still worth asking contractors whether an off-peak start date changes their bid.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32 | 16 | 3.5 | Cold |
| Feb | 35 | 17 | 3.5 | Cold |
| Mar | 42 | 26 | 4.1 | Cold |
| Apr | 54 | 35 | 4.4 | Cold |
| May | 64 | 46 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Jun | 74 | 55 | 4.2 | Workable |
| Jul | 80 | 61 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Aug | 79 | 60 | 3.6 | Workable |
| Sep | 71 | 52 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 60 | 41 | 5.3 | Workable |
| Nov | 48 | 32 | 4.3 | Cold |
| Dec | 38 | 22 | 4.5 | Cold |
Who does the work: Portland trade wages
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 4 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Portland the blend is 0.95.
For construction laborers (47-2061, weighted 40%) the local median is $23.31 an hour, which is in line with the national $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $21.50 and $27.46 an hour. BLS counts 1,470 of them working in the area, 51.0 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 70.5), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073), 30% of the weighting: a median of $28.62 an hour, in line with the US median of $28.78. The middle half of them earn between $25.00 and $30.84 an hour. About 880 work in the metro. That is 30.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.7 nationally, so the supply of crews looks typical.
Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) carry 20% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Portland metro, so we used the Maine statewide median: $20.54 an hour against $29.87 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $19.31 and $28.53 an hour.
Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), 10% of the weighting: a median of $31.01 an hour, in line with the US median of $30.67. The middle half of them earn between $30.51 and $36.97 an hour. About 1,740 work in the metro. That is 60.3 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 30.0 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (construction laborers) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $2,850 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $1,250. That is a swing of roughly 1.7% to 4.0% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Portland-South Portland has 288,480 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 89th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 40% | $21.50 | $23.31 | $27.46 | $22.66 | 1.03 | metro |
| Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (47-2073) | 30% | $25.00 | $28.62 | $30.84 | $28.78 | 0.99 | metro |
| Brickmasons and blockmasons (47-2021) | 20% | $19.31 | $20.54 | $28.53 | $29.87 | 0.69 | state |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152) | 10% | $30.51 | $31.01 | $36.97 | $30.67 | 1.01 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.95 | |||||
How Portland compares
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Portland. Manchester comes closest at about $74,700.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland, MEthis page | $34,600 – $108,500 | $71,500 | |
| Manchester, NH85 miles | $36,200 – $113,000 | $74,700 | +5% |
| Boston, MA85 miles | $43,400 – $135,500 | $89,300 | +25% |
| Worcester, MA120 miles | $41,000 – $128,000 | $84,400 | +18% |
| Barnstable, MA135 miles | $41,300 – $129,000 | $85,000 | +19% |
| Providence, RI140 miles | $40,500 – $126,500 | $83,400 | +17% |
| Maine (statewide) | $34,000 – $106,000 | $70,100 | −2% |
| United States | $36,100 – $113,000 | $74,500 | +4% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Portland ranks #174 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Portland is 2% above the Maine figure.
Elsewhere in Maine
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor, ME | 72,270 jobs | $33,100 – $103,500 | $68,400 | −4% |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Portland against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stockton, CA | 289,660 jobs | $41,100 – $128,500 | $84,700 | +19% |
| Lexington, KY | 286,910 jobs | $35,000 – $109,500 | $72,100 | +1% |
| Toledo, OH | 291,530 jobs | $37,000 – $115,500 | $76,200 | +7% |
| New Haven, CT | 281,410 jobs | $40,800 – $127,000 | $84,000 | +18% |
Get 3 local quotes
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Detailed inground pool report for Portland, ME, $9
Multi-page report for Portland, ME: low, typical and high cost, a line-item breakdown of materials and labor by trade, permit notes, the best months to schedule, a quote comparison sheet, red flags, questions for contractors, checklists and every source. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Inground pool in Portland: your questions
+How much does it cost to install an inground pool in Portland?
For 450 sq ft, expect $34,600 to $108,500 in the Portland area. A standard-spec job lands at $56,700 to $86,200. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for inground pool in Portland?
About $77 to $240 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $100 to $310 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $80 to $250.
+Is inground pool cheaper in Portland or Manchester?
Manchester is 85 miles away. The midpoint for 450 sq ft there is $74,700, which is 5% more than Portland ($71,500). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Portland?
About 51% at the midpoint, or $36,700 out of $71,500. Materials are 48% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 52%.
+What would average (512 sq ft) cost in Portland?
$39,400 to $123,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does inground pool need a permit in Portland?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $100 to $310 for fees in the Portland area (our national range of $100 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Portland expensive for inground pool compared with the rest of Maine?
Portland is 2% above the Maine statewide estimate ($70,100 at the midpoint). We cover 2 metros in Maine; see the state page to compare them.
+What do construction laborers earn in Portland?
The BLS median is $23.31 an hour in the Portland area, compared with $22.66 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $21.50 to $27.46.
+What do basic and premium inground pool work cost in Portland?
For 450 sq ft, basic work runs $34,600 to $64,100 and premium work $78,800 to $108,500. Basic means: vinyl-liner pool, small size. Premium means: concrete or gunite, large with custom features.
+When is the best time to install an inground pool in Portland?
Based on NOAA 1991-2020 normals, the comfortable months for this kind of work are May through October. July and August are typically the driest of those months. Local contractors' schedules matter as much as the weather, so book early for the busy months.
Inground pool near Portland
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: How Much Does An Inground Pool Cost? (2026) (accessed November 4, 2026)
- Cost to Renovate: Renovation Labor Report 2026: Where the Money Goes (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991-2020
Note on derived figures: Materials = 48% of the installed price, from Cost to Renovate's mid-range 'Outdoor Living' category split. It is a category average, not a pool-specific one, so read the pool materials line loosely.