What does a Meter Readers, Utilities salary really buy you in Maine?
Maine is near the US average cost of livingData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Maine's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 100.8, meaning prices are 0.8% higher the national average. A Meter Readers, Utilities earning $61,520 in Maine has the equivalent purchasing power of $61,031 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Maine's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $39,320 | $39,007 | $-312 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $50,400 | $50,000 | $-400 |
| Median (P50) | $61,520 | $61,031 | $-488 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $67,100 | $66,567 | $-532 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $84,150 | $83,482 | $-667 |
Maine's cost of living is close to the national average, so $61,520 keeps most of its value at $61,031 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Meter Readers, Utilities salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Maine ranks #14 out of 47 states for Meter Readers, Utilities after cost-of-living adjustment.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
A Meter Readers, Utilities in Maine earns a median salary of $61,520 per year. After adjusting for Maine's cost of living (RPP=100.8), the real purchasing power is $61,031 — a -0.8% difference.
Maine's cost of living is 0.8% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Maine is 100.8 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Meter Readers, Utilities in Maine: $61,520 x (100 / 100.8) = $61,031. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.