Cost of Living in Maine
What it costs to live in Maine, how much tax you'll pay, and what common jobs keep after rent and everyday costs.
- Population
- 1,405,012
- Median household income
- $76,442
- State income tax
- Up to 7.2%
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 97.0
What a typical paycheck keeps in Maine
The typical Maine worker earns $51,430 (BLS). After taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, $5,979 is left. Pick a city for local rents and pay.
- Typical salary
- $51,430
- Federal income tax
- −$3,992
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,934
- State income tax
- −$2,290
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$16,344
- Everyday costs
- −$18,891
a year, or $498 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS statewide median. Rent: HUD FY2027, population-weighted across Maine.
Cost of living in Maine
Prices across Maine run 3% below the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Housing21% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)3% below the US average
- Utilities35% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)3% above the US average
- All items3% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,362 | $16,344 |
| Food | $480 | $5,760 |
| Transportation | $379 | $4,548 |
| Healthcare | $363 | $4,356 |
| Utilities | $352 | $4,224 |
| Total before taxes | $2,936 | $35,232 |
Rent is the statewide average of county fair market rents, weighted by population. City rents differ.
Maine taxes
State income tax, single filer (2026)
| Taxable income over | Rate |
|---|---|
| $0 | 5.8% |
| $27,399 | 6.8% |
| $64,849 | 7.2% |
Standard deduction phase-out uses 2025 thresholds and is approximated as linear.
Taxes on the median household income
$76,442 of wages, one single filer (Census 2024 median).
| Federal income tax | −$7,987 |
| Payroll taxes | −$5,848 |
| State income tax | −$3,978 |
| Effective tax rate | 23.3% |
Cities in Maine
What a typical worker keeps after taxes, rent and everyday costs in each Maine city we cover.
What common jobs keep in Maine
The 15 jobs that keep the most: statewide median pay, and what's left after taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Dentist | $209,200 | $106,409 |
| Pharmacist | $140,930 | $63,450 |
| Physician assistant | $131,170 | $57,554 |
| Veterinarian | $130,600 | $57,210 |
| Nurse practitioner | $130,260 | $57,005 |
| Software engineer | $123,120 | $52,692 |
| Lawyer | $113,120 | $46,478 |
| Mechanical engineer | $102,430 | $39,807 |
| Project manager | $101,830 | $39,432 |
| Physical therapist | $99,720 | $38,114 |
| Civil engineer | $97,820 | $36,914 |
| Dental hygienist | $97,680 | $36,824 |
| Data scientist | $90,880 | $32,527 |
| Financial analyst | $88,320 | $30,910 |
| Registered nurse | $86,990 | $30,068 |
Salary pages in Maine, A–Z
Pay range, what’s kept and the best cities for each job.
- Accountant
- Auto mechanic
- Carpenter
- Civil engineer
- Data scientist
- Dental assistant
- Dental hygienist
- Dentist
- Diesel mechanic
- Electrician
- Financial analyst
- Firefighter
- HVAC technician
- Lawyer
- Licensed practical nurse
- Lineman
- Mechanical engineer
- Medical assistant
- Nurse practitioner
- Nursing assistant
- Occupational therapist
- Paralegal
- Paramedic
- Pharmacist
- Pharmacy technician
- Physical therapist
- Physician assistant
- Plumber
- Police officer
- Project manager
- Radiologic technologist
- Registered nurse
- Respiratory therapist
- Social worker
- Software engineer
- Speech-language pathologist
- Teacher
- Truck driver
- Veterinarian
- Welder
Top-paying jobs in Maine
Median pay, jobs with at least 1,000 workers (BLS OEWS). Linked jobs have a salary page.
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | $419,410 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $160,260 |
| Pharmacists | $140,930 |
| Chief Executives | $138,770 |
| Marketing Managers | $135,380 |
| Financial Managers | $133,610 |
| Physician Assistants | $131,170 |
| Nurse Practitioners | $130,260 |
| Software Developers | $123,120 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $120,320 |
| Managers, All Other | $115,920 |
| Electrical Engineers | $114,620 |
| Lawyers | $113,120 |
| Construction Managers | $110,070 |
| Financial Specialists, All Other | $109,060 |
Living in Maine
Maine against the US (Census Bureau, ACS 2024).
| Measure | Maine | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $341,900 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,210 | $1,487 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 10.6% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 37.1% | 36.9% |
| Average commute, one way | 25.6 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 14.7% | 13.3% |
Nearby states
Compare Maine with another state or city: what a job keeps in each, side by side.
Questions people ask
What is the cost of living in Maine?
Prices in Maine are 3% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). The statewide fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $1,362 a month (HUD, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person come to about $1,574 a month.
Does Maine have a state income tax?
Yes. Maine's income tax rate is up to 7.2%. On a typical wage of $51,430, a single filer pays about $2,290 a year in state income tax.
How much do you need to earn to live in Maine?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom at the statewide fair market rent needs about $43,400 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs. The typical worker in Maine earns $51,430 and keeps $5,979 after those costs.
Where in Maine does a paycheck go furthest?
Of the Maine cities we cover, a typical worker keeps the most in Portland ($3,745 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs) and the least in Bangor ($2,983).
What jobs pay the most in Maine?
Among jobs with at least 1,000 workers, the highest median pay in Maine goes to Physicians, All Other ($419,410); Computer and Information Systems Managers ($160,260); Pharmacists ($140,930) (BLS OEWS).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
- HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by state, 2024
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate