Quality of Life
California vs Maine: Best State to Live In
Maine scores higher as a state to live in California.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for best state to live in.
California
#32 · 50.49
Maine
#13 · 56.21
Lowest
Highest
Top 10 States — Best State to Live In
#1
Massachusetts
60.23
Massachusetts
#2
Idaho
60.19
Idaho
#3
New Jersey
59.81
New Jersey
#4
Wisconsin
59.66
Wisconsin
#5
Minnesota
58.69
Minnesota
#6
Florida
58.51
Florida
#7
New Hampshire
58.21
New Hampshire
#8
New York
57.94
New York
#9
Utah
57.94
Utah
#10
Pennsylvania
57.90
Pennsylvania
Selected states
#32
California
50.49
California
#13
Maine
56.21
Maine
California ranks 32nd and Maine ranks 13th nationally for best state to live in.
What this means
California vs Maine: Best State to Live In in context
Maine's best state to live in is 56.21, compared with 50.49 in California, a gap of 11.3%. Composite living score for comparing states to live in, based on the existing livability score.
California
50.49
Maine
56.21
Difference
5.72 points
People also ask
California vs Maine Best State to Live In — common questions
QWhat is California's best state to live in?
California's best state to live in is 50.49.
QWhat is Maine's best state to live in?
Maine's best state to live in is 56.21.
QWhich state has a higher best state to live in — California or Maine?
Maine scores higher as a state to live in California.
More comparisons: California vs Maine
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Data source and freshness
Primary source
Data period
Inputs shown on this comparison page
Dataset reviewed
July 23, 2026
Method note
Derived score built from the component metrics described on the page; it is not a government statistic.