Living Cost Compare
Henderson

Nevada

$1,580/mo est.

vs
Portland

Maine

$1,620/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,580 in Henderson, NV versus $1,620 in Portland, ME. Overall, Henderson, NV is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, ME, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $88,654 in Henderson, NV and $76,174 in Portland, ME — about 14% higher in Henderson, NV. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; Maine has a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$1,442
$1,038
+28% in Henderson, NV
1 Bedroom
$1,437
$1,331
+7% in Henderson, NV
2 Bedroom
$1,694
$1,664
+2% in Henderson, NV
3 Bedroom
$1,982
$1,919
+3% in Henderson, NV

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$465,000
$452,600
+3% in Henderson, NV

Income

Median Household Income
$88,654
$76,174
+14% in Henderson, NV
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,670
$56,960
+22% in Portland, ME

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.5 yr
37.5 yr
+5.0 yr in Henderson, NV
Homeownership
65.6%
46.7%
+18.9 pp in Henderson, NV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
36.8%
59.2%
+22.4 pp in Portland, ME
Avg Commute
24.7 min
19.9 min
+4.8 min in Henderson, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
271.8
272.7
+0% in Portland, ME
Property Crime
1,725.7
2,513.3
+46% in Portland, ME

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
69.4°F
46.5°F
+22.9°F in Henderson, NV
Annual Precipitation
4.2 in
47.3 in
+43.1 in in Portland, ME

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.09/gal
$3.86/gal
+24% in Henderson, NV

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.6
28.6
+111% in Portland, ME
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$12.09
$21.00
+74% in Portland, ME

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.31
+10% in Henderson, NV
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.92
+6% in Henderson, NV
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.90
+6% in Henderson, NV
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.19
+9% in Portland, ME
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.69
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / ME)
6.85%
5.5%
+1.3 pp in NV
Income Tax (top rate)
None
7.15%
+7.2 pp in ME

Henderson vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or Portland?
Henderson, NV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,580 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Portland, ME's $1,620, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Henderson than in Portland?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $53,000 in Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Henderson or Portland?
Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); Portland 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).