Cost Of Living in Houlton, ME

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10%

Overall NAT. AVG.

3%

Groceries NAT. AVG.

43%

Housing NAT. AVG.

Date & Last Updated: These cost of living estimates reflect 2026 modeled data using U.S. Census housing inputs and AI-assisted city-level pricing models.

The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living score is 90, then the estimated cost of living is 10% lower than the national average. If the score is 110, then the estimated cost of living is 10% higher than average. The overall index is calculated using weighted estimates across major everyday expense categories, including housing (30%), groceries (16%), transportation (12%), healthcare (10%), utilities (8%), lifestyle and entertainment (8%), household expenses (8%), and education and childcare (8%). All values are AI-assisted city-level estimates designed for directional comparisons.
Index	Houlton	Maine	National
Cost of living	90	100	100
Groceries	103	103	100
Health care	101	101	100
Housing	57	91	100
Transportation	105	103	100
Utilities	110	108	100
Lifestyle & Entertainment	104	103	100
Household Items	103	103	100
Education & Childcare	104	106	100

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Homes For Sale In Houlton, ME

28 Weeks St

Houlton, ME

Lot A-N W Ridge Rd

Littleton, ME

36 Green St

Houlton, ME

1063 Ludlow Rd

Ludlow, ME

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

The cost of living in Houlton is 10% lower than the Maine average
The cost of living in Houlton is 10% lower than the national average
Houlton housing is 43% lower than the national average
Maine general sales tax is 8% higher than the national average
Maine state income tax is 123% higher than the national average

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Price difference in compared to

Cost of living index
Groceries index
Health care index
Housing index
Transportation index
Utilities index
Lifestyle index
Household index
Educare index

Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

Median Income	Per Year	Per Month	Max Budget (28% DTI)	Max Budget (36% DTI)
Owners	$104,800	$8,733	$2,445	$3,144
Renters	$31,104	$2,592	$726	$933

The percent of monthly income spent on housing can be a good indicator of the affordability of housing in Houlton, ME, as well as the overall cost of living. As a general rule of thumb, the debt-to-income ratio (DTI) for homeowners or renters should be not more than 28 percent of gross income to be spent on housing related costs and not more than 36 percent of income on all expenses, including debts. The median income for Houlton homeowners, is $104,800. This would allow for a maximum of $2,445 per month to be spent on housing costs. For renters, the median monthly income is $31,104 which would result in a maximum of $726 to be spent on rental costs.

Maine Sales Tax

State	General Sales Tax	With Max Surtax
Maine	5.5%	5.5%

Maine Income Tax

State	Income Tax (Low)	Income Tax (High)
Maine	5.8%	7.15%

Nearby cities with low cost of living

City	Population	Cost of Living Index	National Avg.
Houlton, ME	5,030	90	10.0%

Cities with similar population

City	Population	Cost of Living Index	National Avg.
Tara Hills, CA	5,031	154	53.5%
Doney Park, AZ	5,028	131	30.7%
Manheim, PA	5,028	97	2.5%
Osage Beach, MO	5,033	105	4.8%
Cherokee Village, AR	5,026	81	18.9%
Houlton, ME	5,030	90	10.0%