Moving to Maine from Oregon

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Oregon to Maine — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Oregon to Maine, you would find that Maine is 15.0% more expensive than Oregon. A $75,000 salary in Oregon would need to be roughly $79,449 in Maine to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Augusta averages 77°F vs 64°F in Salem, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Oregon to Maine.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $79,449

To maintain the same standard of living in Maine

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 11.2% more

Groceries

pay 9.3% more

Transportation

pay 9.3% less

Housing

pay 3.6% more

Childcare

pay 72.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.3% 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Oregon to Maine.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

OR
323
ME
101
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

OR
2566
ME
1105

Maine performs significantly better than Oregon across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of people without health insurance

OR
6.1%
ME
6.4%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

OR
31.9%
ME
33.2%

Oregon generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Maine leads in diabetes rate.

What about housing?

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

typical price of a home

OR
$454,200
ME
$266,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

OR
$1,450
ME
$1,084

Maine performs significantly better than Oregon 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

OR
91.8%
ME
89.2%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

OR
23 min
ME
24 min

Oregon performs better than Maine across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

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

a broad measure of economic output per person

OR
$61,622
ME
$54,958

Oregon 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

OR
78.8 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

OR
26%
ME
25%

Oregon performs better than Maine 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.

Salem Rain: 39.7 in/yr (1008 mm)
64° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Salem Augusta
Jan–Mar 52°/36°F (11°/2°C) 63°/37°F (17°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/45°F (20°/7°C) 84°/57°F (29°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 80°/51°F (27°/11°C) 91°/67°F (33°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/38°F (12°/3°C) 69°/42°F (21°/6°C)
View all months
Month Salem Augusta
Jan 48°/35°F (8.7°/1.5°C) 58°/33°F (14.4°/0.4°C)
Feb 52°/35°F (10.9°/1.4°C) 62°/36°F (16.8°/2.2°C)
Mar 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.9°C) 70°/42°F (21.1°/5.6°C)
Apr 61°/40°F (16.2°/4.2°C) 77°/48°F (25.2°/8.9°C)
May 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.1°C) 85°/57°F (29.4°/14.1°C)
Jun 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.6°C) 91°/66°F (32.8°/19.0°C)
Jul 82°/53°F (27.8°/11.7°C) 93°/70°F (34.1°/21.0°C)
Aug 82°/53°F (28.0°/11.6°C) 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C)
Sep 77°/48°F (24.9°/9.1°C) 87°/63°F (30.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 64°/42°F (17.8°/5.7°C) 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.6°C)
Nov 53°/38°F (11.4°/3.6°C) 69°/41°F (20.6°/5.2°C)
Dec 46°/34°F (7.9°/1.1°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 Oregon?

No — Maine is on average about 6% more expensive than Oregon. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Maine?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $19,862 in Maine on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Maine safe?

Maine performs significantly better than Oregon across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Maine compared to Oregon?

Oregon generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Maine leads in diabetes rate.

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

The average high temperature in Augusta is 77°F, compared to 64°F in Salem. Augusta receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Salem gets 39.7 in.

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