Rent Affordability for A Chef in Maine
A typical chef in Maine earns about $59,660 a year, which supports approximately $1,492 a month in rent under the 30% rule. Below, every tracked Maine city is ranked by how local rent compares against that affordability ceiling.
As of May 2026. 3 of 25 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 22 are rent-burdened on this salary.
| City↕ | Median rent↕ | % of income↑ | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presque Isle, ME | $1,150/mo | 23.1% | affordable |
| Waterville, ME | $1,295/mo | 26% | affordable |
| Lewiston, ME | $1,480/mo | 29.8% | affordable |
| Auburn, ME | $1,503/mo | 30.2% | stretched |
| Augusta, ME | $1,533/mo | 30.8% | stretched |
| Bangor, ME | $1,592/mo | 32% | stretched |
| Orono, ME | $1,625/mo | 32.7% | stretched |
| Sanford, ME | $1,681/mo | 33.8% | stretched |
| Rockland, ME | $1,775/mo | 35.7% | stretched |
| Old Town, ME | $1,801/mo | 36.2% | stretched |
| Bath, ME | $1,825/mo | 36.7% | stretched |
| Springvale, ME | $1,895/mo | 38.1% | stretched |
| Old Orchard Beach, ME | $1,915/mo | 38.5% | stretched |
| Biddeford, ME | $1,982/mo | 39.9% | stretched |
| Brunswick, ME | $2,109/mo | 42.4% | rent-burdened |
| Gorham, ME | $2,150/mo | 43.2% | rent-burdened |
| Saco, ME | $2,226/mo | 44.8% | rent-burdened |
| Portland, ME | $2,429/mo | 48.9% | rent-burdened |
| Yarmouth, ME | $2,455/mo | 49.4% | rent-burdened |
| Kittery, ME | $2,459/mo | 49.5% | rent-burdened |
| South Portland, ME | $2,533/mo | 50.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Freeport, ME | $2,532/mo | 50.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Scarborough, ME | $2,694/mo | 54.2% | severely rent-burdened |
| Cape Elizabeth, ME | $2,908/mo | 58.5% | severely rent-burdened |
| Falmouth, ME | $3,242/mo | 65.2% | severely rent-burdened |