$53,709 median income · $757 median rent · #1 home prices in Maine
Located in
Aroostook County, Maine
We kick our tour of the most affordable places to live in Maine with Caribou, the most northeastern city in America. In Caribou, you’ll find the first least expensive homes in Maine, at a median price of $156,306. What’s more, residents of Caribou spend the smallest percentage of their income on homes. If you just want to make sure you can brave the cold and snow before settling down here, rent in Caribou goes for about $757/month.
Thrill-seekers and beer-drinkers alike will find something to love in Caribou, because it’s one of the best places for snowmobiling in Maine as well as the home of Northern Maine Brewing Company. Small heads up for those considering Caribou, though; it’s the most conservative place in Maine.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$55,768 median income · $904 median rent · #2 home prices in Maine
Located in
Aroostook County, Maine
We’re taking a short drive south from Caribou to arrive at the second cheapest place to call home in Maine, Presque Isle, the commercial center of Aroostook County. Buying a home in Presque Isle will set you back about $171,303, the second lowest price in Maine. As far as home price to income ratio goes, Presque Isle is the second best in the state. Presque Isle is home to Arastook State Park, so you’ll never have to go far to get away from it all.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$53,580 median income · $978 median rent · #3 home prices in Maine
Located in
Kennebec County, Maine
Waterville is a city in Kennebec County that offers affordable living to its residents. With a median home value of $243,116 and a median rent of $978, Waterville is a great option for those looking to save money. Additionally, the income to rent ratio is 54.79, which means that residents can comfortably afford their rent while still having money left over for other expenses. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, the city has a diverse population of 17,077 people and is situated on the west bank of the Kennebec River. With its picturesque location and bustling downtown area, Waterville is a great place to live for people who value convenience and affordability.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$51,585 median income · $989 median rent · #4 home prices in Maine
You’d never believe you were living in one of the states with the most expensive rent in America if you’re lucky enough to call Old Town your home. Not when you’re paying $989/month for an apartment, less than half the average rent in Maine. Old Town also has the fourth cheapest homes for sale in Maine, and is in the top ten statewide for home price to income ratio. Old Town is a suburb of Bangor.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$71,782 median income · $1,113 median rent · #7 home prices in Maine
Located in
Kennebec County, Maine
Gardiner is popular with tourists, and it’s not hard to see why. This Augusta suburb is known for its old architecture and distinct culture. It doesn’t matter what you’re into — shopping in Gardiner’s historic downtown, catching a show at Johnson Hall, or a fireworks display at Waterfront Park — Gardiner has something for everyone. If you come as a tourist and decide you want to try living in Gardiner for a bit, rent will set you back about $1,113/month. It probably won’t take you long to fall in love with the city and decide to settle down here permanently. If you do decide to buy, the median home price in Gardiner is $284,200.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$59,942 median income · $1,055 median rent · #6 home prices in Maine
Located in
Penobscot County, Maine
Located in the heart of Maine, Bangor is a great place to call home. With a population of 31,938, it offers an affordable cost of living. The median rent in Bangor is only $1,055 and the median home value is $281,560, making it a solid option for those looking to buy a house. In addition to its affordability, Bangor has a strong sense of community and plenty of amenities . The city is home to a variety of restaurants, shops, and cultural attractions, including the Bangor Symphony Orchestra and the annual American Folk Festival.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$47,979 median income · $919 median rent · #5 home prices in Maine
Located in
Kennebec County, Maine
The state capital is seventh on our list of the most affordable places to live in Maine. While things certainly are not free in Augusta, besides taking in views of the Kennebec River, to penny-pinchers it must feel like everything almost is.
If you happen to be one of the thousands of students at University of Maine at Augusta or someone who is not quite ready to jump into homeownership yet, covering the area’s median rent of $919 is more than feasible, especially when you throw a few roommates into the mix. Plus, for those who earn the city’s median household income of $47,979, the rate should leave enough room for happy hour with the gang.
In fact, Augusta has the third best median rent rate in the state. And when it is time to take the homeownership plunge, the monthly payments of a mortgage associated with the area’s $273,948 median home value should still be manageable.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$55,393 median income · $986 median rent · #8 home prices in Maine
Located in
Androscoggin County, Maine
Life in a bustling area does not have to cost a pretty penny and Lewiston is a perfect example of that. The city, which is home to five higher education institutions, including Purdue Global, offers a high quality of life at a reasonable price.
The median household income of $55,393 goes a lot further in Lewiston than it would other places, especially when it comes to housing. There is no sticker shock here. Homes have a median value of only $296,288. Plus, the city’s firm grip on crime means you can settle down in various parts of town without looking over your shoulder or constantly double-checking the lock on your door.
Don’t let the affordability fool you, Lewiston is also rich in history and things to do, like watching a hockey game in the building where the famous Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston fight occurred.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$77,375 median income · $1,017 median rent · #12 home prices in Maine
Located in
Hancock County, Maine
We’re finishing our list of cheapest places to live in Maine in Ellsworth, a happening little city that’s on the rise. We named Ellsworth one of the best places to live in Maine thanks to its impressive schools, safe streets, and solid markets for jobs and homes. Affordable rent is Ellsworth’s primary distinction; paying $1,017/month on a median income of $77,375 gives Ellsworth the best rent to income ratio in Maine. If you’re planning on moving to Ellsworth, you may want to expedite the process, because the secrets out on Ellsworth and it’s one of the fastest growing cities in Maine.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$66,647 median income · $1,041 median rent · #10 home prices in Maine
Located in
Androscoggin County, Maine
Located across the Androscoggin River from Lewiston, Auburn comes in as the tenth cheapest place in Maine. Winter sportsmen and women will be happy to have the Lost Valley in their backyard, while everyone can enjoy the Auburn Riverwalk. The median rent in Auburn is $1,041/month and the median home price is $321,213. For both categories, Auburn is safely in the top ten for housing to income ratios.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Maine’s statewide median.
Maine statewide median: $407,566
Maine statewide median: $74,733
On the map
Where your money goes furthest in Maine
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How we determined the most affordable places to live in the Pine Tree State for 2026
Determining affordability for places in Maine boils down to how much it costs to live here.
You need to understand your costs relative to what people in the rest of the state are paying.
With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 for Maine using Saturday Night Science. We indexed the cost of living statistics across the following categories:
- Housing
- Transportation
- Services
- Groceries
- Healthcare
- Utilities
These are then weighted together to produce an overall cost of living index where 100 is the United States average. Anything below 100 is relatively affordable. Anything over 100 is relatively expensive.
We applied the biggest weight to housing as it typically accounts for 25% or more of your budget. Additionally, housing costs are the highest variant cost across a state. We then compare these cost of living metrics for each place in Maine to figure out which is the least expensive.
The “Cost of Living Index” allows you to rank all of the 19 places in Maine that have more than 6,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Any ties went to the larger city.
The place in Maine with the lowest cost of living according to the data is Caribou.
We updated this article for 2026. This report reflects our eleventh time ranking the cheapest places to live in Maine.
The full plate
Cheapest Places To Live In Maine
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Of Living Index | Median Income | Home Prices | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caribou | 7,382 | 90 | $53,709 | $156,306 | $757 |
| 2 | Presque Isle | 8,736 | 91 | $55,768 | $171,303 | $904 |
| 3 | Waterville | 17,077 | 96 | $53,580 | $243,116 | $978 |
| 4 | Old Town | 7,470 | 97 | $51,585 | $246,067 | $989 |
| 5 | Gardiner | 6,088 | 97 | $71,782 | $284,200 | $1,113 |
| 6 | Bangor | 31,938 | 98 | $59,942 | $281,560 | $1,055 |
| 7 | Augusta | 19,077 | 98 | $47,979 | $273,948 | $919 |
| 8 | Lewiston | 38,324 | 99 | $55,393 | $296,288 | $986 |
| 9 | Ellsworth | 8,657 | 99 | $77,375 | $346,769 | $1,017 |
| 10 | Auburn | 24,602 | 101 | $66,647 | $321,213 | $1,041 |
| 11 | Brewer | 9,652 | 101 | $66,613 | $297,006 | $1,086 |
| 12 | Rockland | 7,035 | 102 | $56,533 | $340,484 | $1,092 |
| 13 | Bath | 8,815 | 104 | $69,390 | $365,662 | $1,044 |
| 14 | Belfast | 6,986 | 104 | $67,679 | $380,697 | $962 |
| 15 | Westbrook | 20,775 | 109 | $85,038 | $449,009 | $1,392 |
| 16 | Saco | 20,819 | 114 | $92,241 | $520,612 | $1,249 |
| 17 | Biddeford | 22,498 | 115 | $72,333 | $505,512 | $1,292 |
| 18 | South Portland | 26,930 | 119 | $86,838 | $517,132 | $1,812 |
| 19 | Portland | 68,854 | 120 | $79,540 | $557,760 | $1,577 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, cost-of-living data. 19 places with more than 6,000 residents.
Summary
Maine Affordability Summary
This is an accurate list of the most affordable places to live in Maine for 2026, if you’re looking at the cost of living numbers in Maine.
The cheapest cities in Maine are Caribou, Presque Isle, Waterville, Old Town, Gardiner, Bangor, Augusta, Lewiston, Ellsworth, and Auburn.
