Living Cost Compare
Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/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 $1,410 in Concord, NH versus $1,070 in Lewiston, ME. Overall, Lewiston, ME is roughly 24% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Concord, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $56,558 in Lewiston, ME — about 32% higher in Concord, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Maine has a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$876
$559
+36% in Concord, NH
1 Bedroom
$1,134
$749
+34% in Concord, NH
2 Bedroom
$1,475
$1,047
+29% in Concord, NH
3 Bedroom
$1,769
$1,209
+32% in Concord, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$323,700
$214,200
+34% in Concord, NH

Income

Median Household Income
$83,701
$56,558
+32% in Concord, NH
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,540

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
40.7 yr
37.8 yr
+2.9 yr in Concord, NH
Homeownership
57.4%
50.3%
+7.1 pp in Concord, NH
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.1%
21.7%
+18.4 pp in Concord, NH
Avg Commute
23.2 min
20.7 min
+2.5 min in Concord, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
180.7
244.5
+35% in Lewiston, ME
Property Crime
1,251.5
1,616.5
+29% in Lewiston, ME

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
46.4°F
45.8°F
+0.6°F in Concord, NH
Annual Precipitation
40.6 in
51.1 in
+10.5 in in Lewiston, ME

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.94/gal
about equal

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
27.0
29.6
+10% in Lewiston, ME
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$21.67
$31.62
+46% in Lewiston, ME

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.31
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$1.92
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$6.90
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.69
about equal

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

State Taxes

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

Concord vs Lewiston — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Lewiston?
Lewiston, ME is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Lewiston?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $30,000 in Lewiston.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Lewiston?
Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no 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).