Moving to Maine from Maryland

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Maryland to Maine, you would find that Maine is 1.7% cheaper than Maryland. A $75,000 salary in Maryland would need to be roughly $69,284 in Maine to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Augusta averages 77°F vs 68°F in Annapolis, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $69,284

To maintain the same standard of living in Maine

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 12.1% more

Groceries

pay 13.4% less

Transportation

pay 12.4% less

Housing

pay 2.5% more

Childcare

pay 1.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.7% less

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 Maryland.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MD
420
ME
101
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MD
2043
ME
1105

Maine performs significantly better than Maryland across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of people without health insurance

MD
6.0%
ME
6.4%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MD
33.4%
ME
33.2%

Maryland 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

MD
$397,700
ME
$266,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MD
$1,662
ME
$1,084

Maine performs significantly better than Maryland 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

MD
91.6%
ME
89.2%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MD
32 min
ME
24 min

Maryland 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

MD
3.7%
ME
3.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MD
$69,127
ME
$54,958

Maryland 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

MD
76.8 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

MD
29%
ME
25%

Maryland generally does better on family life, though Maine leads in life expectancy.

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.

Annapolis Rain: 47.3 in/yr (1201 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Annapolis Augusta
Jan–Mar 50°/33°F (10°/0°C) 63°/37°F (17°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) 84°/57°F (29°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/69°F (30°/20°C) 91°/67°F (33°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 59°/42°F (15°/6°C) 69°/42°F (21°/6°C)
View all months
Month Annapolis Augusta
Jan 44°/29°F (6.9°/-1.6°C) 58°/33°F (14.4°/0.4°C)
Feb 48°/31°F (9.0°/-0.5°C) 62°/36°F (16.8°/2.2°C)
Mar 57°/38°F (13.7°/3.5°C) 70°/42°F (21.1°/5.6°C)
Apr 68°/47°F (20.1°/8.6°C) 77°/48°F (25.2°/8.9°C)
May 77°/57°F (25.0°/13.7°C) 85°/57°F (29.4°/14.1°C)
Jun 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.2°C) 91°/66°F (32.8°/19.0°C)
Jul 89°/71°F (31.9°/21.9°C) 93°/70°F (34.1°/21.0°C)
Aug 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.4°C) 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C)
Sep 81°/64°F (27.2°/17.6°C) 87°/63°F (30.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 69°/52°F (20.7°/10.9°C) 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.6°C)
Nov 59°/42°F (14.9°/5.3°C) 69°/41°F (20.6°/5.2°C)
Dec 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.4°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 Maryland?

On average Maine is about 8% less expensive than Maryland, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Maine?

Budget about $17,321 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 Maryland across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Maine compared to Maryland?

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

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

The average high temperature in Augusta is 77°F, compared to 68°F in Annapolis. Augusta receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Annapolis gets 47.3 in.

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