CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for nursery, garden center and farm supply stores in Portland, ME
Nursery, garden center and farm supply stores in the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area: 29 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 13-person team.
- Establishments
- 29CBP 2023
- Employees
- 364mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 5.1U.S. 3.9
- Rank
- 76th of 736areas by count
How many nursery, garden center and farm supply stores are in Portland, ME?
County Business Patterns counts 29 nursery, garden center and farm supply stores (NAICS 444220, Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Stores) in the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area for 2023. Together they reported 364 mid-March employees and $12.7 million of payroll for the year. That ranks 76th of the 736 metro and micropolitan areas where Census published a count for this industry.
With 572,000 residents in the Census 2024 estimate, that is 5.1 nursery, garden center and farm supply stores per 100,000 people, 30.8% above the national rate of 3.9. Establishments average 12.6 employees, 12.9% above the U.S. average of 11.1. Payroll per employee comes to $34,813, 3.5% below the national $36,065.
| Measure | Portland, ME | Maine | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 29 | 95 | 13,195 |
| Mid-March employees | 364 (moderate noise) | 955 (moderate noise) | 146,650 (moderate noise) |
| Annual payroll | $12,672,000 (moderate noise) | $30,977,000 (moderate noise) | $5,288,872,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 12.6 | 10.1 | 11.1 |
| Payroll per employee | $34,813 | $32,437 | $36,065 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 5.1 | 6.8 | 3.9 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at nursery, garden center and farm supply stores in Portland, ME
Of the nursery, garden center and farm supply stores in Portland, ME that had employees in March 2023, 25.0% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 36.7%). 50.0% had fewer than ten. When a business has only a few people, whoever is free answers the phone, and calls that arrive while everyone is busy go to voicemail unless they are routed somewhere else.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 7 | 25.0% | 36.7% |
| 5–9 employees | 7 | 25.0% | 20.7% |
| 10–19 employees | 8 | 28.6% | 25.6% |
| 20–49 employees | 6 | 21.4% | 15.3% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 1.8% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls a garden center in Portland, ME has to catch
Garden centers are seasonal and busy, with customers calling about plant availability, delivery and landscaping supplies. Spring peaks strain small staffs.
Calls a garden center in Portland, ME might handle in a typical week include:
- A customer calls about plant care.
- A landscaper calls about bulk mulch.
- A customer calls about delivery.
When nobody can pick up
After-hours calls are mostly stock and hours questions.
With business-hours routing, calls after closing can go to transcribed voicemail or an optional AI receptionist instead of ringing an empty room.
Phone system pricing for a 13-person garden center
The average garden center in Portland, ME has 12.6 employees, so a 13-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Priced per seat, 13 users would run $390.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $324.35 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 13 people cost $259.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $1,572. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $259.00 | $3,108.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $247.00 | $2,964.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $299.00 | $3,588.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $324.35 | $3,892.20 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $351.00 | $4,212.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $390.00 | $4,680.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Getting a local number in Portland, ME
The exchanges in the area's named cities and towns are all in area code 207 (269 exchanges in NANPA's file). Callata's plan includes up to 3 local numbers; you can pick them in the area codes your customers recognize, subject to carrier inventory, or port the number you already have for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 207 | 269 | Eastern | 1947 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
What nursery, garden center and farm supply stores in Portland, ME get with Callata
For $99 a month, Callata puts a team of up to 5 on one plan ($20 for each person after that): up to 3 local numbers, unlimited inbound calls, a pooled allowance of 1,500 outbound US and Canada minutes per user, browser and cell calling, voicemail transcription with urgency triage, recorded calls with AI summaries and business-hours routing, with E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Portland, ME, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many nursery, garden center and farm supply stores are there in Portland, ME?
Census County Business Patterns counted 29 nursery, garden center and farm supply stores in the Portland-South Portland, ME metro area in 2023. They employed 364 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 13-person garden center?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 13 users cost $390.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $324.35 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $259.00.
What area code should a garden center in Portland, ME use?
Area code 207 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for a garden center?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute.