Overall
Delaware feels cheaper overall
Delaware has the lower cost-of-living index, beating Maine by 7.1 points on the overall affordability baseline.
View detailed comparison
Cost of Living Comparison
Quality of Life
Delaware vs Maine: Cost of Living
Delaware is cheaper overall by 7.1 cost-of-living points, but Maine has lower median home values.
Delaware
DE • South
103.2
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Maine
ME • Northeast
110.3
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Visual Comparison
Delaware
103.2
Maine
110.3
Difference: 7.1 points — Delaware leads.
Overview
A fast-reading view of the tradeoffs behind the raw cost numbers.
Living Costs
Housing
pay about 1.1x more for a home
Maine has the lower median home value, while buying in Delaware costs materially more at the median.
View detailed comparisonRent Pressure
Maine puts less pressure on a median paycheck
Median rent takes a smaller share of household income in Maine than in Delaware, which makes monthly budgeting easier.
View detailed comparisonTaxes
Delaware keeps more income after state tax
Delaware has the lower top state income tax rate, which softens the total cost picture even when prices are close.
View detailed comparisonCost Stack
Delaware
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
103.2
Regional price parity
100.9
Regular gas price
$3.914/gal
Electricity price
16.51 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,222/mo
Median home value
$296,700
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
6.60%
State sales tax
None (0%)
Property tax
0.50%
Income
Median household income
$79,325
Income after median rent
$5,388
Minimum wage
$15.00/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
Maine
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
110.3
Regional price parity
100.6
Regular gas price
$3.967/gal
Electricity price
30.73 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,064/mo
Median home value
$274,400
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
7.15%
State sales tax
5.50%
Property tax
1.02%
Income
Median household income
$70,171
Income after median rent
$4,784
Minimum wage
$15.10/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Permissive
Alcohol system
Control State
Marijuana status
Legal
What Stands Out
- Maine has lower median home values.
- Delaware has the lower overall cost index.
- Delaware has the higher median household income.
- Delaware looks more attainable on home value to income ratio.
Affordability Ratios
Related Pages
What This Means
Delaware vs Maine: Cost of Living in context
Delaware has a cost of living of 103.2, compared with 110.3 in Maine. Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Delaware
103.2
Maine
110.3
Difference
7.1 points
People Also Ask
Delaware vs Maine Cost of Living — Common Questions
Q What is Delaware's cost of living?
Delaware's cost of living is 103.2.
Q What is Maine's cost of living?
Maine's cost of living is 110.3.
Q Which state has a lower cost of living — Delaware or Maine?
Delaware is cheaper overall by 7.1 cost-of-living points, but Maine has lower median home values.
More Comparisons: Delaware vs Maine
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset, with minimum wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.