Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

vs
Lewiston

Maine

$1,070/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $1,070 in Lewiston, ME. Overall, Lewiston, ME is roughly 22% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $56,558 in Lewiston, ME — about 23% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Maine has a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$559
+49% in Arlington, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$749
+37% in Arlington, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$1,047
+26% in Arlington, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,209
+34% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$214,200
+23% in Arlington, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$56,558
+23% in Arlington, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$49,540
+4% in Arlington, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
37.8 yr
+4.2 yr in Lewiston, ME
Homeownership
54.8%
50.3%
+4.5 pp in Arlington, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
21.7%
+11.4 pp in Arlington, TX
Avg Commute
26.7 min
20.7 min
+6.0 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
494.2
244.5
+51% in Arlington, TX
Property Crime
2,434.5
1,616.5
+34% in Arlington, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
45.8°F
+19.6°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
51.1 in
+11.5 in in Lewiston, ME

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.58/gal
$3.94/gal
+10% in Lewiston, ME

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
29.6
+86% in Lewiston, ME
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$31.62
+1% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Lewiston, ME
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.92
+10% in Lewiston, ME
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Arlington, TX
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.90
+7% in Lewiston, ME
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.19
+15% in Lewiston, ME
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in Lewiston, ME

Average prices — South vs Northeast (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / ME)
6.25%
5.5%
+0.8 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
7.15%
+7.2 pp in ME

Arlington vs Lewiston — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Lewiston?
Lewiston, ME is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 22% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Lewiston?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $30,000 in Lewiston.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Lewiston?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Lewiston under Maine's (a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).