Bangor cost of living
Prices in the Bangor, ME metro area run at 96.5 against a national average of 100, ranking it #137 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 77.7.
What drives the number
Prices in Bangor run at 96.5 where the national average is 100, so about 3.5 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #137 of 387 metro areas. Against Maine as a whole it is 0.6 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
Housing is unusually cheap relative to everything else here. Rents sit at 77.7 against goods at 97.2 and other services at 134.8, so the overall figure of 96.5 understates how affordable the housing itself is. It is the opposite of the usual pattern, where housing is what makes a place expensive.
The number is most useful in reverse: a job here can pay less in cash and still leave a household better off, by roughly 3.5 per cent before anything else is considered.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Bangor is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,380 | $32,220 | $33,389 | $30,480 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,140 | $36,750 | $38,083 | $34,900 |
| Registered Nurses | 2,130 | $86,860 | $90,010 | $93,600 |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,090 | $35,240 | $36,518 | $34,580 |
| Cashiers | 2,030 | $31,350 | $32,487 | $31,190 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,580 | $50,840 | $52,684 | $57,440 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,520 | $36,380 | $37,699 | $37,090 |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,470 | $43,270 | $44,839 | $43,630 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 96.5.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland | 101.9 | 105.2 | #58 |
| Lewiston-Auburn | 94.7 | 69.0 | #173 |
Bangor: common questions
Is Bangor expensive?
Prices are 3.5% below the national average, a parity of 96.5 where the country is 100. It ranks #137 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Maine as a whole it is 0.6 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Bangor?
The median worker there earns $47,120, which buys what $48,829 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 77.7 against goods at 97.2. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.