Moving to Maine from Delaware

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Delaware to Maine? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Delaware to Maine, you would find that Maine is 2.5% more expensive than Delaware. A $75,000 salary in Delaware would need to be roughly $73,589 in Maine to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Augusta averages 77°F vs 66°F in Dover, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Delaware and Maine.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $73,589

To maintain the same standard of living in Maine

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 14.2% more

Groceries

pay 0.8% more

Transportation

pay 1.7% more

Housing

pay 1.0% more

Childcare

pay 1.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 0.8% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Maine compared to Delaware.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

DE
370
ME
101
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

DE
1831
ME
1105

Maine performs significantly better than Delaware across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

DE
5.8%
ME
6.4%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

DE
38.4%
ME
33.2%

Delaware generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Maine leads in adult obesity rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

DE
$326,800
ME
$266,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

DE
$1,341
ME
$1,084

Maine performs significantly better than Delaware across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

DE
91.5%
ME
89.2%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

DE
26 min
ME
24 min

Delaware generally does better on infrastructure, though Maine leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

DE
5.1%
ME
3.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

DE
$80,523
ME
$54,958

Delaware generally does better on employment & economy, though Maine leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

DE
76.7 yrs
ME
77.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

DE
24%
ME
25%

Maine performs significantly better than Delaware across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Dover Rain: 46.1 in/yr (1170 mm)
66° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Augusta Rain: 43.6 in/yr (1107 mm)
77° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Dover Augusta
Jan–Mar 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) 63°/37°F (17°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/54°F (24°/12°C) 84°/57°F (29°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/65°F (29°/18°C) 91°/67°F (33°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/40°F (15°/4°C) 69°/42°F (21°/6°C)
View all months
Month Dover Augusta
Jan 43°/27°F (6.3°/-2.7°C) 58°/33°F (14.4°/0.4°C)
Feb 47°/29°F (8.3°/-1.7°C) 62°/36°F (16.8°/2.2°C)
Mar 55°/36°F (12.7°/2.0°C) 70°/42°F (21.1°/5.6°C)
Apr 66°/44°F (18.7°/6.8°C) 77°/48°F (25.2°/8.9°C)
May 75°/54°F (23.7°/12.1°C) 85°/57°F (29.4°/14.1°C)
Jun 83°/63°F (28.4°/17.4°C) 91°/66°F (32.8°/19.0°C)
Jul 87°/68°F (30.6°/20.2°C) 93°/70°F (34.1°/21.0°C)
Aug 85°/67°F (29.6°/19.4°C) 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C)
Sep 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.6°C) 87°/63°F (30.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 69°/49°F (20.4°/9.3°C) 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.6°C)
Nov 58°/40°F (14.7°/4.3°C) 69°/41°F (20.6°/5.2°C)
Dec 47°/31°F (8.6°/-0.6°C) 60°/35°F (15.6°/1.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Maine than Delaware?

Maine and Delaware are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.

How much money do I need to move to Maine?

Budget about $18,397 for 3 months in Maine (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Maine safe?

Maine performs significantly better than Delaware across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Maine compared to Delaware?

Delaware generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Maine leads in adult obesity rate.

What's the weather like in Maine compared to Delaware?

The average high temperature in Augusta is 77°F, compared to 66°F in Dover. Augusta receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Dover gets 46.1 in.

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