Overall
94.7
-5.3 below avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Lewiston-Auburn, ME
Cost-of-living indicators for Lewiston-Auburn, ME, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 30340 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #172 of 387
Lewiston-Auburn, ME has a cost of living index of 94.7, meaning it's 5.3% less expensive than the national average. Goods cost 2.8% less, services 34.4% more, and rents are 31.0% below average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $105,556 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Lewiston
Lewiston ranks #172 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 94.7, Lewiston-Auburn, ME is 5.3% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Lewiston's most and least expensive categories — services at 134.4 versus rents at 69.0 — 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 $105,556 inside Lewiston, while a household needs roughly $94,736 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 69.0 — 31.0% 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, Lewiston's overall index has fallen by 3.0 points, improving relative affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 97.2 and services at 134.4, meaning everyday spending in Lewiston 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.
Lewiston Cost Index at a Glance
Lewiston all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Lewiston category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
97.2
-2.8 below avg
Services
134.4
+34.4 above avg
Rents
69.0
-31.0 below avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 94.7 (-5.3 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 97.2 (-2.8 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 134.4 (+34.4 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 69.0 (-31.0 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Above National Average
Services +34.4% (134.4)
Below National Average
Rents -31.0% (69.0)
Overall -5.3% (94.7)
Goods -2.8% (97.2)
Income Adequacy in Lewiston
Lewiston income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 94.7
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$94,736
in Lewiston-Auburn, ME purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$47,368
$75,000 nationally
$71,052
$125,000 nationally
$118,420
$150,000 nationally
$142,104
$200,000 nationally
$189,472
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending downward, decreasing by 3.0 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 97.7 |
| 2009 | 103.3 |
| 2010 | 99.0 |
| 2011 | 98.7 |
| 2012 | 98.8 |
| 2013 | 95.2 |
| 2014 | 92.8 |
| 2015 | 97.2 |
| 2016 | 96.6 |
| 2017 | 95.9 |
| 2018 | 99.3 |
| 2019 | 96.4 |
| 2020 | 99.7 |
| 2021 | 93.9 |
| 2022 | 101.3 |
| 2023 | 100.9 |
| 2024 | 94.7 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Lewiston-Auburn, ME's index of 94.7.
Related Data for Lewiston
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Lewiston area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Lewiston metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Lewiston
School Districts
NCES school data for Lewiston area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Lewiston 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 Lewiston-Auburn, ME? ▼
Lewiston-Auburn, ME has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 94.7, meaning it is 5.3% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 97.2, services at 134.4, and rents at 69.0. It ranks #172 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Lewiston-Auburn, ME to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $94,736 in Lewiston-Auburn, ME. Conversely, $100K earned in Lewiston-Auburn, ME has the purchasing power of $105,556 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Lewiston-Auburn, ME? ▼
Rents in Lewiston-Auburn, ME are indexed at 69.0, which is 31.0% below the national average. This makes the area relatively affordable for renters.
Is Lewiston-Auburn, ME getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Lewiston-Auburn, ME's overall cost index changed by -3.0 points (from 97.7 to 94.7). The cost of living has been declining.
What costs the most in Lewiston-Auburn, ME? ▼
The most expensive category in Lewiston-Auburn, ME is services at 134.4, which is 34.4% above the national average. The most affordable category is rents at 69.0, 31.0% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Lewiston-Auburn, ME? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include San Antonio-New Braunfels, Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, Pittsburgh. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Lewiston-Auburn, ME's 94.7.
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
