Maine Is Now Home to Two of the Best-Managed Cities in America

Some good news for the Pine Tree State: Two of our cities have been named among the best-run in the country.

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In its newly updated 2026 study on the best-run cities in America, WalletHub analyzed 148 of the largest U.S. cities to determine which local governments are operating most efficiently.

The study compared each city’s per-capita budget with a “Quality of Services” score based on 36 metrics across six service areas, including public safety, financial stability and infrastructure.

Among the 148 cities included in the study, Portland and Lewiston were the two from Maine to make the list.

Portland ranked 31st overall, while Lewiston ranked 42nd, giving Maine two cities in the top 50 nationwide.

According to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo, the best-run cities in America are those that use their budgets effectively to provide residents with high-quality services in areas such as financial security, education, health, safety and transportation.

Lupo said many top-ranked cities also have low levels of outstanding government debt per capita, which can help prevent future financial challenges.

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And there you have it! Portland and Lewiston were both named in a recent 2026 report highlighting the best-managed cities in America.

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