Moving from Wyoming to Maine
Moving to Maine on the same salary cuts your real buying power by 10.3%; you'd need about $85,500 to break even. Change the salary below to see your own numbers.
Equal salary in ME: $85,500
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $85,500 in Maine to match $75,000 in Wyoming ($10,500 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary, standard deduction.
These changes cover taxes, housing and electricity. Food, transport, healthcare, other spending and one-time moving costs are excluded. They are not total savings. State medians may differ from your neighborhood and current quotes.
| Tax on $75,000 | Wyoming | Maine |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $7,670 | $7,670 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $5,738 | $5,738 |
| State income tax | $0 | $3,385 |
| State payroll programs (UI, disability, paid leave, transit) | $0 | $375 |
| Take-home pay | $61,593 | $57,833 |
Key facts: Wyoming to Maine
- Median rent
- $998 → $1,210/mo
- Median home value
- $339,500 → $341,900
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 92.7 → 97.0
- Road distance
- ≈ 2,170 miles
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- About average → Above average
What changes when you move to Maine
- Wyoming has no state income tax on wages; Maine does. At $75,000 expect about $3,385 a year in Maine income tax.
- BEA's housing price index is 11% higher in Maine. Median rent goes from $998 to $1,210 a month and the median home value from $339,500 to $341,900.
- Homeowners pay more property tax: the median bill is $3,103 in Maine vs $1,947 in Wyoming.
- The average home electric bill is $134 a month in Maine vs $108 in Wyoming (EIA 2024), about $311 a year more.
Who moves from Wyoming to Maine
In the latest IRS migration data (2022–2023), 46 households (71 people) filed their taxes in Maine after filing in Wyoming the year before. That makes Maine the #41 destination for people leaving Wyoming. These households reported an average adjusted gross income of $69,152. Going the other way, 24 households moved from Maine to Wyoming, a net gain of 22 households for Maine.
Five-year trend
Moves from Wyoming to Maine peaked in 2019–20 at 49 households, then fell 6% by 2022–23. That is still up 59% from 2018–19.
Source: IRS SOI state-to-state migration files, tax years 2018–19 to 2022–23.
Cost to move from Wyoming to Maine
Moving cost: $1,360–$17,530
Moving about 2,170 miles from Wyoming to Maine costs roughly $1,360 – $17,530, depending on how much of the work you hire out.
Distance between the states' population centers by road (estimate).
| Moving method | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) Truck rental, taxes and fees. Add fuel, damage coverage, lodging and your time. | $1,360 – $6,530 |
| Moving container You pack and load; the company drives the container. | $2,250 – $6,400 |
| Full-service movers Packing, loading, transport and unloading. | $3,570 – $17,530 |
These ranges are based on summer (peak-season) quotes. A move between October and April usually costs less: peak prices run 20–30% higher.
A rental truck also burns about 217 gallons of fuel over this distance. One-way truck rental prices depend on direction: a truck headed where many people are moving often costs more than the same trip in reverse.
Ranges combine 198 published quote ranges on 22 interstate routes (moveBuddha, retrieved 2026-09-24) with 47 independent published prices from U-Pack, HireAHelper and Move.org, which raised the top of several ranges. They are not quotes; get at least three written estimates.
Alaska and Hawaii ranges come from published carrier rates and moving quotes, dated in each row (Matson's household-goods rates, U-Pack, Royal Hawaiian Movers). See how we estimate.
Shipping a car from Wyoming to Maine
Car shipping: $1,320–$1,910
Shipping a sedan from Wyoming to Maine on an open carrier costs about $1,320–$1,910, typically 5–10 days in transit over about 2,170 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.
Wyoming vs Maine take-home pay at every salary
| Salary | Equal salary in ME | Take-home change | Take-home in WY | Take-home in ME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $55,400 | -$1,947 | $42,355 | $40,408 |
| $75,000 | $85,500 | -$3,760 | $61,593 | $57,833 |
| $100,000 | $115,100 | -$5,629 | $79,180 | $73,551 |
| $150,000 | $176,100 | -$10,168 | $113,791 | $103,623 |
| $250,000 | $296,400 | -$17,899 | $183,182 | $165,283 |
Single filer, 2026 tax rules, standard deduction. "Equal salary" keeps the same after-tax buying power.
At higher incomes, especially for homeowners, itemizing state and local taxes (deductible up to $40,400 in 2026) can lower your federal tax once you live in Maine, which narrows the gap shown.
Cost of living: Wyoming vs Maine
| Measure | Wyoming | Maine |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 92.7 | 97.0 |
| Housing price index | 71.1 | 78.9 |
| Utilities price index | 78.4 | 135.2 |
| Goods price index | 95.4 | 97.2 |
| Median rent (monthly) | $998 | $1,210 |
| Median home value | $339,500 | $341,900 |
| Median property tax (yearly) | $1,947 | $3,103 |
| Electricity (residential) | 15.24¢/kWh | 29.59¢/kWh |
| State sales tax rate | 4% | 5.5% |
| Median household income | $75,532 | $76,442 |
Renting and buying: Wyoming vs Maine
| Measure | Wyoming | Maine |
|---|---|---|
| Income to rent the median home (30% rule) | $39,920 | $48,400 |
| Monthly cost to own the median home (20% down) | $2,099 | $2,159 |
| Income needed to buy the median home | $89,976 | $92,538 |
| Homeowners insurance (yearly median, homes with a mortgage) | $1,672 | $1,081 |
| Infant child care (center, yearly) | $12,784 | $15,730 |
Mortgage at the Freddie Mac 30-year average with 20% down, plus the median property tax and the median homeowners insurance that owners with a mortgage paid in 2024 (Census ACS). Premiums have risen in most states since then, so get quotes. See buying a home in Maine for other down payments.
Your yearly budget: Wyoming vs Maine
On a $75,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $42,895 a year in Wyoming and $44,777 in Maine if you rent: $1,882 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $56,112 and $56,168 ($56 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | WY | ME | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $75,000, single filer | $13,408 | $17,167 | +$3,759 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,292 | $1,603 | +$311 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $948 | $856 | -$92 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,191 | $2,123 | -$68 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $13,080 | $8,508 | -$4,572 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $11,976 | $14,520 | +$2,544 |
| Total if you rent | $42,895 | $44,777 | +$1,882 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $21,574 | $21,727 | +$153 |
| Property tax median home | $1,947 | $3,103 | +$1,156 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,672 | $1,081 | -$591 |
| Total if you buy | $56,112 | $56,168 | +$56 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 state medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $12,784 a year in Wyoming and $15,730 in Maine (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Cost of living in Maine cities: Portland, ME.
After you arrive in Maine
- Maine new resident checklist: driver license and vehicle registration deadlines.
- Taxes the year you move: part-year returns in Wyoming and Maine.
- How Maine taxes retirement income.
Frequently asked questions
How much salary do I need in Maine to live like I do in Wyoming?
A $75,000 salary in Wyoming works out to about $85,500 in Maine once 2026 federal and state taxes and BEA regional price levels are counted. At $100,000 it is about $115,100.
Will I pay less tax in Maine than in Wyoming?
No, about $3,760 more a year in income and payroll taxes on a $75,000 salary (17.9% of pay in Wyoming vs 22.9% in Maine). Property and sales taxes are shown separately.
How much does it cost to move from Wyoming to Maine?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 2,170 miles, expect roughly $1,360–$6,530 with a rental truck, $2,250–$6,400 with a moving container, or $3,570–$17,530 with full-service movers.
Are more people moving from Wyoming to Maine?
Moves from Wyoming to Maine peaked in 2019–20 at 49 households, then fell 6% by 2022–23. That is still up 59% from 2018–19.
How many people move from Wyoming to Maine?
IRS migration data for 2022–2023 show 46 households (71 people) moved from Wyoming to Maine, making Maine the #41 destination for people leaving Wyoming. 24 households moved the other way.
Is Maine cheaper than Wyoming?
Overall prices in Maine are 4.6% higher than Wyoming (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,210 vs $998 a month.
Compare other moves
Where people from Wyoming actually move
- WY to Colorado 1,874 households
- WY to Utah 958 households
- WY to Texas 827 households
- WY to Montana 700 households
- WY to Idaho 645 households
- WY to Arizona 619 households
- WY to California 609 households
- WY to Florida 501 households