Overall
96.5
-3.5 below avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Bangor, ME
Cost-of-living indicators for Bangor, ME, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 12620 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #136 of 387
Bangor, ME has a cost of living index of 96.5, meaning it's 3.5% less expensive than the national average. Goods cost 2.8% less, services 34.8% more, and rents are 22.3% below average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $103,618 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Bangor
Bangor ranks #136 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the upper half by cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 96.5, Bangor, ME is 3.5% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Bangor's most and least expensive categories — services at 134.8 versus rents at 77.7 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $103,618 inside Bangor, while a household needs roughly $96,508 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 77.7 — 22.3% below the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Bangor's overall index has risen by 2.6 points, signaling tightening affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 97.2 and services at 134.8, meaning everyday spending in Bangor is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Bangor Cost Index at a Glance
Bangor all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Bangor category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
97.2
-2.8 below avg
Services
134.8
+34.8 above avg
Rents
77.7
-22.3 below avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 96.5 (-3.5 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 97.2 (-2.8 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 134.8 (+34.8 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 77.7 (-22.3 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Above National Average
Services +34.8% (134.8)
Below National Average
Rents -22.3% (77.7)
Overall -3.5% (96.5)
Goods -2.8% (97.2)
Income Adequacy in Bangor
Bangor income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 96.5
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$96,508
in Bangor, ME purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$48,254
$75,000 nationally
$72,381
$125,000 nationally
$120,635
$150,000 nationally
$144,762
$200,000 nationally
$193,016
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending upward, increasing by 2.6 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 93.9 |
| 2009 | 92.1 |
| 2010 | 96.5 |
| 2011 | 93.9 |
| 2012 | 96.3 |
| 2013 | 99.5 |
| 2014 | 92.1 |
| 2015 | 92.8 |
| 2016 | 93.4 |
| 2017 | 94.6 |
| 2018 | 93.9 |
| 2019 | 96.6 |
| 2020 | 97.5 |
| 2021 | 96.8 |
| 2022 | 96.6 |
| 2023 | 92.3 |
| 2024 | 96.5 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Bangor, ME's index of 96.5.
Related Data for Bangor
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Bangor area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Bangor metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Bangor
School Districts
NCES school data for Bangor area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Bangor area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Bangor, ME? ▼
Bangor, ME has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 96.5, meaning it is 3.5% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 97.2, services at 134.8, and rents at 77.7. It ranks #136 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Bangor, ME to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $96,508 in Bangor, ME. Conversely, $100K earned in Bangor, ME has the purchasing power of $103,618 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Bangor, ME? ▼
Rents in Bangor, ME are indexed at 77.7, which is 22.3% below the national average. This makes the area relatively affordable for renters.
Is Bangor, ME getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Bangor, ME's overall cost index changed by +2.6 points (from 93.9 to 96.5). The cost of living has been trending upward.
What costs the most in Bangor, ME? ▼
The most expensive category in Bangor, ME is services at 134.8, which is 34.8% above the national average. The most affordable category is rents at 77.7, 22.3% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Bangor, ME? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Asheville, Cheyenne, Winchester. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Bangor, ME's 96.5.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
