Maine or Vermont to live? The two cost about the same overall, so the choice comes down to place. Maine has the coast, more land and a lower property tax rate. Vermont has the Green Mountains, ski towns and a slightly higher median income. Choose Maine for the ocean and a wider range of settings, and Vermont for mountains and village life.
“Maine or Vermont?” is a natural question – two rural, scenic, safe New England states often mentioned in the same breath. After three decades covering Maine, here is an honest comparison. The cost figures below come from 2026 sources, including the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC), and they show the two states are closer than many people assume.
The Big Difference: Coastal Maine vs Mountain Vermont
Both are rural, safe, and beautiful, but they differ in feel and cost. Maine is larger and more affordable, with a long Atlantic coastline, working harbors, and a mix of coast, mountains, and North Woods. Vermont is smaller, landlocked, and mountain-defined – the Green Mountains, ski towns, and picture-book villages – with a higher median income and a strong education and progressive-community culture. Maine is the more affordable and coastal option; Vermont the more mountainous and slightly more prosperous one.
Cost of Living
The two are nearly tied. The MERIC cost of living index for the second quarter of 2026 puts Maine at 112.9 and Vermont at 113.4, where 100 is the national average, and the housing indexes are almost identical (128.5 and 128.2). Some other 2026 comparisons show Maine a little cheaper, so the safest reading is that Maine is the same or slightly cheaper. Where you live inside each state matters more than which state you pick. Portland and the Maine coast cost well above inland and northern Maine, and Burlington and the ski towns cost well above the rest of Vermont.
Taxes
It is closer than it looks. Maine’s top income tax rate is 7.15% and Vermont’s is 8.75%, but they start at very different incomes. Maine’s top rate applies above about $61,600 for a single filer, while Vermont’s applies only above about $256,300, so the top rates alone do not tell you what a middle-income household will pay. Compare using each state’s tax calculator. Sales tax is 5.5% in Maine and 6% in Vermont, and both exempt groceries. Property tax is where Maine usually comes out ahead: one 2026 comparison puts the effective rate at about 1.09% in Maine and 1.83% in Vermont, though rates vary by town. Both states offer Social Security exemptions for qualifying taxpayers.
Housing
Home prices are close. Sources disagree on exact statewide medians, with some putting both states near $380,000 and others showing Maine a bit higher. Maine’s lower property tax rate usually lowers the yearly cost of owning. Maine also offers a wider range, from affordable inland and northern markets to premium coastal towns, while Vermont’s desirable areas (Burlington, the ski regions) command high prices.
Scenery and Lifestyle
This is the real character difference. Maine has the ocean – over 3,000 miles of coastline, lighthouses, islands, and Acadia – plus mountains and the North Woods. Vermont is all mountains and valleys: the Greens, world-class skiing (Stowe, Killington), and quintessential white-steepled villages. For coast and variety, Maine; for mountains and skiing, Vermont. Both offer four seasons, safety, and a slower rural pace.
Jobs and Income
Vermont has a slightly higher median household income and has seen somewhat faster job growth, with Burlington a notable small-city economy. Maine’s job market centers on Greater Portland, Bangor, and Lewiston-Auburn. The two are broadly comparable for opportunity, with costs about the same in both states and Vermont’s incomes marginally higher. If you’re weighing where the work is, see our guide to the best places to live in Maine for jobs.
Who Should Choose Maine
Choose Maine for the ocean and coast, a wider range of settings from coast to mountains to North Woods, and a lower property tax rate. It is the better choice if the coast matters to you.
Who Should Choose Vermont
Choose Vermont for the mountains, world-class skiing, a strong education and community culture, and a slightly higher median income, if you do not need the coast. It is the better choice for mountain lovers and skiers.
Our Honest Take
People often treat Maine and Vermont as interchangeable rural New England, and on cost they nearly are. The real differences are the coast versus the mountains and what you pay in property tax. Maine wins if you want the ocean and a lower property tax rate. Vermont wins if mountains and skiing are your priority. Choose by the landscape and the specific town, not by the state-level numbers.
Maine vs Vermont FAQ
Is it cheaper to live in Maine or Vermont?
About the same. MERIC’s second-quarter 2026 index shows Maine at 112.9 and Vermont at 113.4. Maine’s property tax rate is lower, but costs depend heavily on the town.
Is Maine or Vermont better to live in?
It depends on priorities. Maine is better for the coast and a wider range of settings. Vermont is better for mountains, skiing, and a slightly higher median income. Their cost of living is nearly the same.
Does Maine or Vermont have lower taxes?
It depends on the tax. Maine’s property tax rate is generally lower. The top income tax rates are 7.15% in Maine and 8.75% in Vermont, but Maine’s top rate starts at a much lower income. Sales tax is 5.5% in Maine and 6% in Vermont, both exempt groceries, and both offer Social Security exemptions for qualifying taxpayers.
Compare Maine to other states: Maine vs New Hampshire · Maine vs Massachusetts · Maine vs Florida · Maine vs California · Maine vs Texas · Maine vs New York
Moving to Maine for work? If you choose Maine, browse current jobs on JobsInMaine in Portland, Bangor, and Lewiston, or see our guide to the best places to live in Maine for jobs.
See also our Maine vs New Hampshire to live, cheapest places to live in Maine, and guide to moving to Maine. MaineGuide.com has been Maine’s resource guide since 1995.