Maine · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Knox County, ME

Prices around Knox County, ME run 3% below the U.S. average (BEA, Maine). The typical household there earns $74,096 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,526 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $61,040 a year.

Knox County, ME at a glance

Median household income

$74,096$6,175 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,526HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)97.0-3% · BEA, Maine
Electricity29.6¢per kWh · EIA Residential ME
Population41,003Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Knox County, ME?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,526Monthly market rent
Share of gross income24.7%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$61,040To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,852At 30% of $74,096
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Knox County, ME? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Knox County, ME, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Knox County, ME, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,223$14,676$48,92019.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,270$15,240$50,80020.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,526$18,312$61,04024.7%
3-Bedroom Home$1,928$23,136$77,12031.2%
4-Bedroom Home$2,085$25,020$83,40033.8%

Rent in Knox County, ME, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Knox County, ME

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $74,096 a year ($6,175 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$3,087/moRent ($1,526 2-BR), utilities (~$266/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,852/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,235/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $74,096 leaves after Maine taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Maine tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$74,096
$25,000$150,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$74,096
Net 78%
Fed 10%
ME 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$57,633After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,803Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$2,217Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate22.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$7,471 / yr
Maine state income tax$3,324 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$5,668 / yr

Living in Knox County, ME: common questions

What is the median household income in Knox County, ME?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Knox County, ME is $74,096 per year (approximately $6,175 per month).

What is the average rent in Knox County, ME?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,223 for a studio, $1,270 for one bedroom, $1,526 for two, $1,928 for three and $2,085 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Knox County, ME expensive to live in?

Prices there run 3% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Maine is 97.0, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Knox County, ME?

To keep a $1,526 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $61,040 a year, or $5,087 a month. That is 82% of what the typical household in Knox County, ME earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Knox County, ME?

On the local median income of $74,096 ($6,175 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $3,087 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,852 for everything else and $1,235 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,526 takes 49% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Knox County, ME?

Homes in Maine paid 29.6¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $266. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.