Cost of living in Augusta research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Augusta is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Maine, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Augusta is 99, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Augusta is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Augusta ranks as the #6 cheapest in Maine out of 30.
Augusta ranks as the #2,497 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Augusta is $278,754.
The median income in Augusta is $48,756.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Augusta has an overall cost of living index of 99, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Maine, Augusta has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Maine's index of 101.
The standard of living in Augusta ranks as #6 most affordable out of the 30 places we measured in Maine. By definition, that implies Augusta ranks as the #24 most expensive place in the Pine Tree State.
For more reading on life in Augusta, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Augusta. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Augusta is 111.
The Groceries index in Augusta is 101.
The Health index in Augusta is 101.
The Housing index in Augusta is 79.
The Transportation index in Augusta is 109.
The Utilities index in Augusta is 105.
| Living Expense | Augusta | Maine | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 99 | 101 | 100 | |
| Services | 111 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 101 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 101 | 104 | 100 | |
| Housing | 79 | 90 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 109 | 108 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 105 | 105 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maine, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Augusta is $278,754.
The Median Rent in Augusta is $887.
The Median Income in Augusta is $48,756.
The Home Value To Income in Augusta is 5.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Augusta is 0.22x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Augusta. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Auburn, ME has a cost of living index of 104, 1.1x Augusta.
Brunswick, ME has a cost of living index of 114, 1.2x Augusta.
Waterville, ME has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x Augusta.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn, ME | 24,294 | 104 | 1.1x |
| Brunswick, ME | 16,928 | 114 | 1.2x |
| Waterville, ME | 16,704 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Bath, ME | 8,801 | 105 | 1.1x |
| Rockland, ME | 6,991 | 100 | 1.0x |
| Topsham, ME | 6,962 | 111 | 1.1x |
| Yarmouth, ME | 6,293 | 128 | 1.3x |
| Gardiner, ME | 6,047 | 100 | 1.0x |