Caribou, ME vs Madawaska, ME

Caribou, ME and Madawaska, ME have a very similar cost of living, with only a 0.9% difference in their overall index. Caribou scores 66 while Madawaska scores 66 on the cost of living index, where 100 represents the national average. The day-to-day expenses for residents in both cities are comparable, though differences emerge when looking at specific categories.

On the housing front, median rent in Caribou is $696/month compared to $576/month in Madawaska — a 21% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Madawaska has cheaper rent, Caribou actually has lower median home values ($120,300 vs $157,400).

Median household income in Caribou is $54,271 compared to $42,708 in Madawaska (+27.1%). While Caribou is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Caribou spend roughly 15.4% of their income on rent, less than the 16.2% in Madawaska.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (40.7°F vs 40.1°F). Caribou receives more rainfall at 40.7" per year compared to 32.9" in Madawaska.