Before you decide to relocate to Maine, it’s important to research the exact cost of living around the state. And that’s what we’re going to help you do.
These are the places in Maine that cost a pretty penny — the most expensive cities in the state.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare the 2018-2022 American Community Survey on cost of living for the 19 places in Maine with more than 5,000 people.
After we saved up for months and could finally afford it, we landed on this list of the ten most expensive cities in Maine for 2024.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
What’s the most expensive place to live in Maine? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Portland is the most expensive place to live in Maine.
Caribou (the cheapest place to live in Maine) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Maine and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Maine For 2024
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Population: 68,280
Cost Of Living Index: 116
Median Income: $71,498
Average Home Price: $524,544
Home Price To Income Ratio: 7.3x
More on Portland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Portland is 116. The median income in Portland comes in at $71,498 and the average home value is $524,544 for 2024.
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Population: 26,656
Cost Of Living Index: 113
Median Income: $82,489
Average Home Price: $481,844
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.8x
More on South Portland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in South Portland is 113. The median income in South Portland comes in at $82,489 and the average home value is $481,844 for 2024.
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Population: 20,446
Cost Of Living Index: 113
Median Income: $81,326
Average Home Price: $473,741
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.8x
More on Saco: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Saco is 113. The median income in Saco comes in at $81,326 and the average home value is $473,741 for 2024.
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Population: 20,339
Cost Of Living Index: 112
Median Income: $81,198
Average Home Price: $427,855
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.3x
More on Westbrook: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Westbrook is 112. The median income in Westbrook comes in at $81,198 and the average home value is $427,855 for 2024.
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Population: 22,438
Cost Of Living Index: 110
Median Income: $63,261
Average Home Price: $454,915
Home Price To Income Ratio: 7.2x
More on Biddeford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Biddeford is 110. The median income in Biddeford comes in at $63,261 and the average home value is $454,915 for 2024.
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Population: 6,953
Cost Of Living Index: 109
Median Income: $53,925
Average Home Price: $360,086
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.7x
More on Belfast: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Belfast is 109. The median income in Belfast comes in at $53,925 and the average home value is $360,086 for 2024.
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Population: 9,633
Cost Of Living Index: 107
Median Income: $55,870
Average Home Price: $268,716
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.8x
More on Brewer: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Brewer is 107. The median income in Brewer comes in at $55,870 and the average home value is $268,716 for 2024.
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Population: 8,478
Cost Of Living Index: 107
Median Income: $61,233
Average Home Price: $338,561
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.5x
More on Ellsworth: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Ellsworth is 107. The median income in Ellsworth comes in at $61,233 and the average home value is $338,561 for 2024.
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Population: 24,038
Cost Of Living Index: 105
Median Income: $59,659
Average Home Price: $295,326
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.0x
More on Auburn: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Auburn is 105. The median income in Auburn comes in at $59,659 and the average home value is $295,326 for 2024.
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Population: 8,775
Cost Of Living Index: 105
Median Income: $63,023
Average Home Price: $335,573
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.3x
More on Bath: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Bath is 105. The median income in Bath comes in at $63,023 and the average home value is $335,573 for 2024.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Pine Tree State For 2024
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Maine are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Maine to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 19 places in Maine that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Maine according to the data is Portland. We updated this article for 2024. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in Maine.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Maine For 2024
Well, there you have it, the places in Maine that have the highest cost of living, with Portland ranking as the most expensive city in the Pine Tree State.
The most expensive cities in Maine are Portland, South Portland, Saco, Westbrook, Biddeford, Belfast, Brewer, Ellsworth, Auburn, and Bath.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Maine according to the data:
- Caribou
- Presque Isle
- Waterville
For more Maine reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Maine
- Cheapest Places To Live In Maine
- Most Dangerous Cities In Maine
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Maine
- Safest Places In Maine
- Worst Places To Live In Maine
Most Expensive Cities In Maine
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland | 116 | 68,280 | $71,498 | $524,544 | 7.3x |
| 2 | South Portland | 113 | 26,656 | $82,489 | $481,844 | 5.8x |
| 3 | Saco | 113 | 20,446 | $81,326 | $473,741 | 5.8x |
| 4 | Westbrook | 112 | 20,339 | $81,198 | $427,855 | 5.3x |
| 5 | Biddeford | 110 | 22,438 | $63,261 | $454,915 | 7.2x |
| 6 | Belfast | 109 | 6,953 | $53,925 | $360,086 | 6.7x |
| 7 | Brewer | 107 | 9,633 | $55,870 | $268,716 | 4.8x |
| 8 | Ellsworth | 107 | 8,478 | $61,233 | $338,561 | 5.5x |
| 9 | Auburn | 105 | 24,038 | $59,659 | $295,326 | 5.0x |
| 10 | Bath | 105 | 8,775 | $63,023 | $335,573 | 5.3x |
| 11 | Rockland | 104 | 6,986 | $52,212 | $331,919 | 6.4x |
| 12 | Bangor | 103 | 31,705 | $52,438 | $255,801 | 4.9x |
| 13 | Lewiston | 101 | 37,577 | $54,317 | $280,354 | 5.2x |
| 14 | Augusta | 101 | 18,938 | $45,006 | $265,601 | 5.9x |
| 15 | Old Town | 101 | 7,458 | $46,343 | $222,579 | 4.8x |
| 16 | Gardiner | 100 | 5,994 | $57,329 | $276,768 | 4.8x |
| 17 | Waterville | 99 | 15,785 | $45,208 | $230,270 | 5.1x |
| 18 | Presque Isle | 95 | 8,772 | $52,109 | $169,472 | 3.3x |
| 19 | Caribou | 93 | 7,454 | $47,803 | $156,013 | 3.3x |