Maine
Among the top 6% of US states for safety & wellbeing.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 63% of US states
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 14% of US states
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A, better than 94% of US states
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 12% of US states
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 54% of US states
- top 2% for park & nature access
- top 10% for air quality
- bottom 2% for annual snowfall
Maine is a U.S. state with about 1,367,000 residents. It grades A for safety & wellbeing and D for getting around. Standout strengths include park & nature access, air quality, and sales tax. It rates lower on airport distance and annual snowfall.
Official websitemaine.gov (opens in new tab)
- The median home value in Maine is $254k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Maine is $70k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Maine is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Maine has a violent crime rate of 872/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Maine is 24 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$70k37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$53kbetter than 40% of US states
Home Value$254k49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 59% of US states
Monthly Owner Costs$47kbetter than 78% of US states
Property Tax Rate1.19%better than 29% of US states
Income Tax7.10%better than 22% of US states
Sales Tax5.50%better than 86% of US states
Estimated total tax burden13.13%better than 30% of US states
Unemployment4.1%better than 75% of US states
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)20°F12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.4 in67th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall77.6 inbetter than 2% of US states
Sunny Days214 daysbetter than 43% of US states
Summer Humidity59°Fbetter than 73% of US states
Comfortable Days77 daysbetter than 34% of US states
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk67.8better than 80% of US states
Air Quality37 AQIbetter than 90% of US states
School Quality75.6better than 68% of US states
Violent Crime872/100kbetter than 78% of US states
Property Crime1170/100kbetter than 84% of US states
Community
Population1,366,94918th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age44.8100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.152nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9733rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven35th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)91.4%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.5%14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)1.9%2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.1%10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.1%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 59% of US states
Walkability7.1/20better than 16% of US states
Airport Distance156 mibetter than 12% of US states
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.3%better than 39% of US states
Amenities Nearby2.13better than 31% of US states
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 98% of US states
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Maine an affordable place to live?
- Maine is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $53k, better than 40% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Maine safe?
- Maine is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 872/100k (better than 78%). Property crime is 1170/100k.
- What is the weather like in Maine?
- Maine averages 69°F in July and 20°F in January, with 47.4 in of annual precipitation and about 214 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Maine?
- Public-school quality in Maine is above average, scoring better than 68% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Maine?
- The average one-way commute in Maine is 24 min.