Cost of living in Caribou 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 Caribou 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 Caribou is 92, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Caribou is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Caribou ranks as the #1 cheapest in Maine out of 30.
Caribou ranks as the #1,501 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Caribou is $154,327.
The median income in Caribou is $54,271.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Caribou has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Maine, Caribou has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Maine's index of 101.
The standard of living in Caribou ranks as #1 most affordable out of the 30 places we measured in Maine. By definition, that implies Caribou ranks as the #29 most expensive place in the Pine Tree State.
For more reading on life in Caribou, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Caribou. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Caribou is 111.
The Groceries index in Caribou is 100.
The Health index in Caribou is 103.
The Housing index in Caribou is 51.
The Transportation index in Caribou is 110.
The Utilities index in Caribou is 108.
| Living Expense | Caribou | Maine | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 92 | 101 | 100 | |
| Services | 111 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 100 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 103 | 104 | 100 | |
| Housing | 51 | 90 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 110 | 108 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 108 | 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 Caribou is $154,327.
The Median Rent in Caribou is $696.
The Median Income in Caribou is $54,271.
The Home Value To Income in Caribou is 2.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Caribou is 0.15x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Caribou. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Chico, CA has a cost of living index of 130, 1.4x Caribou.
La Porte, IN has a cost of living index of 83, 0.9x Caribou.
Oroville, CA has a cost of living index of 110, 1.2x Caribou.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Caribou |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chico, CA | 102,032 | 130 | 1.4x |
| La Porte, IN | 22,125 | 83 | 0.9x |
| Oroville, CA | 19,855 | 110 | 1.2x |
| Susanville, CA | 14,992 | 101 | 1.1x |
| Magalia, CA | 7,784 | 109 | 1.2x |
| Paradise, CA | 6,793 | 117 | 1.3x |
| Thermalito, CA | 6,645 | 107 | 1.2x |
| Durham, CA | 6,111 | 153 | 1.7x |
| Palermo, CA | 5,440 | 111 | 1.2x |