Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 85.13 km2 (32.87 sq mi), of which 81.58 km2 (31.50 sq mi) is land and 3.55 km2 (1.37 sq mi) (4.17%) is water.
Location
Porter is located in southwestern Oxford County, Maine, bordering York County, Maine, to the south and Carroll County, New Hampshire, to the west. The largest lakes within the town are Colcord Pond and Bickford Pond, both situated near the center of Porter. Other lakes include Mine Pond and Plaine Pond in the southwest, Black Lake and the Spectacle Ponds in the southeast, and Stanley Pond on the boundary with Hiram, Maine.
The Ossipee River flows eastward through the southern part of the town, forming the boundary with York County. Several smaller streams also drain the area. The terrain is predominantly hilly, with the highest point being Whales Back, which rises to 487 m (1,598 ft) along the New Hampshire state line in the northwestern part of the town.
Adjacent municipalities
The following municipalities border Porter (distances are straight-line distances between the official 2010 census coordinates):
- Brownfield, Maine – north, 10.5 km (6.5 mi)
- Hiram, Maine – east, 9.4 km (5.8 mi)
- Parsonsfield, Maine (York County, Maine) – south, 12.4 km (7.7 mi)
- Freedom, New Hampshire (Carroll County, New Hampshire) – southwest, 10.3 km (6.4 mi)
- Eaton, New Hampshire (Carroll County, New Hampshire) – northwest, 11.1 km (6.9 mi)
Communities
Several villages and populated places are located within the town, including Kezar Falls, Porter, Porter Bridge, Porterfield, and Stanley.
Climate
Porter has a humid continental climate typical of inland western Maine. Average monthly temperatures range from −7.8 °C (18 °F) in January to 20.0 °C (68 °F) in July. Compared with the statewide average, temperatures are approximately 2 °C (3.6 °F) cooler throughout the year.
Annual snowfall is heavy, with snow typically falling between October and May and seasonal totals exceeding 2 m (80 in). January is generally the snowiest month, with average snowfall approaching 50 cm (20 in). Average daily sunshine is among the lower values recorded in the United States.
Municipalities and communities of Oxford County, Maine, United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county | |
This short article about a place or feature in the United States can be made longer. You can help Wikipedia by adding to it.- ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "Whales Back". peakery.com. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "Index of /geo". www2.census.gov. Retrieved 2026-08-04.
- ↑ "Porter, Oxford County | Maine Genealogy". www.mainegenealogy.net. Retrieved 2026-08-04.