Maine · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Somerset County, ME

Prices around Somerset County, ME run 3% below the U.S. average (BEA, Maine). The typical household there earns $58,179 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,266 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $50,640 a year.

Somerset County, ME at a glance

Median household income

$58,179$4,848 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,266HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)97.0-3% · BEA, Maine
Electricity29.6¢per kWh · EIA Residential ME
Population50,959Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Somerset 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$1,266Monthly market rent
Share of gross income26.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$50,640To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,454At 30% of $58,179
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Somerset County, ME, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,015$12,180$40,60020.9%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,083$12,996$43,32022.3%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,266$15,192$50,64026.1%
3-Bedroom Home$1,689$20,268$67,56034.8%
4-Bedroom Home$1,812$21,744$72,48037.4%

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

What a typical income covers in Somerset County, ME

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $58,179 a year ($4,848 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,424/moRent ($1,266 2-BR), utilities (~$266/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,454/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$970/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $58,179 leaves after Maine taxes

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

$58,179
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$58,179
Net 80%
Fed 8%
ME 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$46,678After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,890Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,795Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,801 / yr
Maine state income tax$2,249 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,451 / yr

Living in Somerset County, ME: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Somerset County, ME is $58,179 per year (approximately $4,848 per month).

What is the average rent in Somerset County, ME?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,015 for a studio, $1,083 for one bedroom, $1,266 for two, $1,689 for three and $1,812 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 Somerset 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 Somerset County, ME?

To keep a $1,266 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $50,640 a year, or $4,220 a month. That is 87% of what the typical household in Somerset County, ME earns.

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

On the local median income of $58,179 ($4,848 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,424 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,454 for everything else and $970 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,266 takes 52% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Somerset 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.