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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in Maine

Statewide Regional Price Parities for Maine from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 3 metro areas.

97.0
Statewide RPP
#26
of 51 states by cost
78.9
Rents RPP
3
Metro areas

The verdict

Maine costs less than 51% of U.S. states, a statewide index of 97.0, 3.0% below the national average.

97.0
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#26
of 51 states by overall cost
bottom 49%
nationally, among all states
78.9
rents RPP, the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $103,040 when earned in Maine.

Reading the Maine Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places Maine's statewide Regional Price Parity at 97.0 for the 2024 data year, 3.0% less expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's services line runs hottest at 135.2, while rents offer the biggest relief at 78.9. That internal spread, rather than the single state number, is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

Maine captures 3 metro areas in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. Portland-South Portland, ME leads on cost at 101.9, while Lewiston-Auburn, ME sits at the opposite end at 94.7 - a gap of 7.1 index points inside a single state. For goods the state indexes at 97.2, for services 135.2, and for rents 78.9 - the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, Maine's statewide index has held steady within 1.4 points, suggesting a stable competitive position against other states. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $103,040 of national buying power when earned inside Maine, and a household relocating here would need roughly $97,050 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

97.0
Overall
97.2
Goods
135.2
Services
78.9
Rents

Maine vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

97 Top 51% higher than 49% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Below this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). This entry sits in this band. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities · 2024

Most Expensive in Maine → Cheapest in Maine →

Metro areas in Maine, ranked by cost

# Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
1 Portland-South Portland 101.9 97.2 134.6 105.2
2 Bangor 96.5 97.2 134.8 77.7
3 Lewiston-Auburn 94.7 97.2 134.4 69.0

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 98.4
2009 98.7
2010 97.5
2011 96.1
2012 97.0
2013 98.3
2014 92.5
2015 95.9
2016 97.2
2017 97.6
2018 97.6
2019 95.6
2020 97.9
2021 97.3
2022 100.7
2023 98.0
2024 97.0

What this means in Maine

The statewide index is a starting point, cost varies metro to metro within Maine.

  • Don't rely on the state figure alone: Portland-South Portland (101.9) and Lewiston-Auburn (94.7) sit 7 index points apart inside Maine. Check your specific metro.
  • Rents index at 78.9 (21.1% below average) - the largest swing in the RPP. Review the housing line before any relocation decision. Highest rents
  • Weighing Maine against another state? Convert your salary to local purchasing power first. Salary calculator

RPP is BEA's annual price-level benchmark (national average = 100) for the data year shown, pair it with local wages and current rents before deciding.

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
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Maine? ▼
Maine has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 97.0, meaning it is 3.0% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 97.2, services at 135.2, and rents at 78.9.
What salary in Maine equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $97,050 in Maine. Conversely, $100K earned in Maine has the purchasing power of $103,040 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in Maine? ▼
Rents in Maine are indexed at 78.9, which is 21.1% below the national average. The state is relatively affordable for renters.
Which is the most expensive metro in Maine? ▼
The most expensive metro area in Maine is Portland-South Portland, ME with an RPP of 101.9. The most affordable is Lewiston-Auburn, ME at 94.7. There are 3 metro areas in Maine with BEA price data.
Is Maine getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Maine's overall cost index changed by -1.4 points (from 98.4 to 97.0). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What is most expensive in Maine compared to the U.S. average? ▼
The most expensive category in Maine is services at 135.2, which is 35.2% above the national average. The most affordable category is rents at 78.9, 21.1% below average.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Every figure on PlainCost is rendered directly from BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.