Real Dollar Value
Maine stretches $100 further
A national-average $100 buys about $103.77 of local goods and services in Maine, compared with $92.31 in California.
Income
California vs Maine: Purchasing Power of $100
$100 goes further in Maine: about $103.77 in local buying power versus $92.31 in California, a $11.46 gap.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for purchasing power of $100.
California
#48 · $92.31
Maine
#34 · $103.77
Lowest
Highest
Top 10 States — Purchasing Power of $100
#1
Mississippi
$116.01
Mississippi
#2
Alabama
$114.62
Alabama
#3
Oklahoma
$113.65
Oklahoma
#4
Arkansas
$113.40
Arkansas
#5
Kansas
$113.09
Kansas
#6
West Virginia
$112.73
West Virginia
#7
Missouri
$112.21
Missouri
#8
Iowa
$111.93
Iowa
#9
Tennessee
$111.32
Tennessee
#10
South Dakota
$111.28
South Dakota
Selected states
#48
California
$92.31
California
#34
Maine
$103.77
Maine
California ranks 48th and Maine ranks 34th nationally for purchasing power of $100.
Safety Context
Purchasing Power of $100 in context
Economic and demographic factors behind the violent crime rate difference.
BEA Price Index
Maine has the lower official price level
BEA Regional Price Parity is lower in Maine (100.6) than in California (113.4), which is why the same cash buys more there.
See full data →Income Check
California has the higher median income
Purchasing power does not replace income. California has a median household income of $84,097, versus $70,171 in Maine.
See full data →Living Costs
Maine also looks cheaper on the cost index
Maine's cost-of-living index is 110.3, compared with 138.5 in the other state.
See full data →Related pages
What this means
California vs Maine: Purchasing Power of $100 in context
Maine's purchasing power of $100 is $103.77, compared with $92.31 in California, a gap of 12.4%. Real local value of $100 after adjusting for BEA Regional Price Parities.
California
$92.31
Maine
$103.77
Difference
$11
People also ask
California vs Maine Purchasing Power of $100 — common questions
QWhat is California's purchasing power of $100?
California's purchasing power of $100 is $92.31.
QWhat is Maine's purchasing power of $100?
Maine's purchasing power of $100 is $103.77.
QWhich state has a higher purchasing power of $100 — California or Maine?
$100 goes further in Maine: about $103.77 in local buying power versus $92.31 in California, a $11.46 gap.
More comparisons: California vs Maine
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Data source and freshness
Primary source
Data period
Latest incorporated BEA release
Dataset reviewed
July 23, 2026
Method note
Derived as 100 divided by the state price parity, multiplied by $100.