Living Cost Compare
Dallas

Texas

$1,480/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 $1,480 in Dallas, TX versus $1,070 in Lewiston, ME. Overall, Lewiston, ME is roughly 28% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Dallas, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $67,760 in Dallas, TX and $56,558 in Lewiston, ME — about 17% higher in Dallas, 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
$1,259
$559
+56% in Dallas, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,280
$749
+41% in Dallas, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,500
$1,047
+30% in Dallas, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,559
$1,209
+22% in Dallas, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$295,300
$214,200
+27% in Dallas, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$67,760
$56,558
+17% in Dallas, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$49,540
+4% in Dallas, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.4 yr
37.8 yr
+4.4 yr in Lewiston, ME
Homeownership
42.4%
50.3%
+7.9 pp in Lewiston, ME
Bachelor's+ (25+)
37.4%
21.7%
+15.7 pp in Dallas, TX
Avg Commute
26.0 min
20.7 min
+5.3 min in Dallas, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
661.9
244.5
+63% in Dallas, TX
Property Crime
3,412.9
1,616.5
+53% in Dallas, TX

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
67.2°F
45.8°F
+21.4°F in Dallas, TX
Annual Precipitation
37.6 in
51.1 in
+13.5 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)
$2.50

Adult base one-way fare — DART vs (2026).

Utilities

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

Dallas vs Lewiston — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dallas or Lewiston?
Lewiston, ME is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% below Dallas, TX's $1,480, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dallas than in Lewiston?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Dallas versus $30,000 in Lewiston.
Which has lower taxes, Dallas or Lewiston?
Dallas 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).