Idaho to Maine Moving Guide
Updated June 10, 2025

Planning a 2,806 mile interstate move from Idaho to Maine? This moving guide will help you compare living in Idaho vs Maine across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like harsh winters vs milder winters), food & health (like Idaho Potatoes vs Lobster), real estate & housing (ranch, craftsman vs colonial, cape cod), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Maine), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Idaho Potatoes and Idaho Trout, but get your taste buds ready for Lobster & Lobster Roll
- Maine housing costs are 13% less expensive than they are in Idaho
- Rent in Maine is 12.45% more expensive than in Idaho
- Moving from Idaho to Maine will cost on average between $3,000 - $10,000
- Our top recommended Idaho to Maine movers is 208 Moving Company
Idaho to Maine Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Idaho to Maine
- Harsh winters
- Fewer coastal areas
- Limited seafood options
- Less cultural diversity
- Fewer famous lighthouses
- Milder winters
- Beautiful coastline
- Abundant seafood
- Rich cultural heritage
- Iconic lighthouses
- Higher cost of living
- Frequent fog
- More crowded tourist spots
- Fewer mountain ranges
- Different local customs
- Lower cost of living
- More sunny days
- Smaller population
- Outdoor recreation
- Friendly communities
Pros of moving from Idaho to Maine
- Say goodbye to harsh winters and hello to milder winters
- Look forward to moving away from fewer coastal areas and moving to Maine with beautiful coastline
- Swap the limited seafood options of Idaho for abundant seafood in Maine
- Get ready for rich cultural heritage in Maine
Cons of moving from Idaho to Maine
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from a lower cost of living in Idaho to live with a higher cost of living in Maine
- You'll lose out on the pro of more sunny days and have to settle for the con of frequent fog
- Time to bid farewell to a smaller population and get used to more crowded tourist spots in Maine
- Swap outdoor recreation for fewer mountain ranges
Idaho vs. Maine: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Idaho | Maine |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Idaho Potatoes | Lobster |
Most popular meat dish | Idaho Trout | Lobster Roll |
Most popular street food item | Loaded Baked Potatoes | Whoopie Pie |
Most popular vegan food | Wild Mushroom Risotto | Vegan Lobster Roll |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪 | 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪 |
Abundance of Food Trucks | 🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚 | 🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚 |
Foodie Scene | 🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴 | 🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴 |
Vegan Friendly | 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱 | 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱 |
If you're moving from Idaho to Maine, you will be trading the iconic Idaho Potatoes of Idaho for the equally delicious Lobster of Maine. And while the locals in Idaho rave about their flavorful Idaho Trout and sumptuous Loaded Baked Potatoes, Maine residents know they have tasty Lobster Roll and Whoopie Pie to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Wild Mushroom Risotto they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Vegan Lobster Roll of Maine. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Idaho eateries like Westside Drive-In, The Basque Market, and Bar Gernika. After the boxes are unpacked in Maine, don't wait too long before making your way to Maine's acclaimed eateries like Eventide Oyster Co., Fore Street, and Duckfat.
When comparing lifestyles, Maine shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Idaho. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Maine compared to what you are used to in Idaho. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Maine.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Idaho and Maine
Comparison | Idaho | Maine |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Ranch, Craftsman | Colonial, Cape Cod |
Walkability | 👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟 | 👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟 |
Bikeability | 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲 | 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲 |
Urban Lifestyle | 🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️ | 🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Open spaces, mountain views | Ocean proximity, historic homes |
- The Ranch and Craftsman architecture that Idaho is known for will be replaced with the Colonial and Cape Cod architecture typical of Maine.
- Compared to Idaho's real estate listings that commonly reference open spaces and mountain views, Maine real estate listings often highlight features like ocean proximity and historic homes.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. Maine is more walkable than Idaho.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. Maine is more bike-friendly than Idaho.
- Maine has more of an urban feel than Idaho.
- Maine housing costs are 13% less expensive than they are in Idaho with a median home price of $392,358 compared to Idaho’s $451,298.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Maine have increased 70% compared to a 69% increase in Idaho.
- Rent in Maine is 12.45% more expensive than in Idaho.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Idaho and Maine
Comparison | Idaho | Maine |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ | ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | 💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦 | 💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦 |
Avg. UV Index | 🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️ | 🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️ |
Natural Disasters | Wildfires, Earthquakes | Blizzards, Nor'easters |
Air Quality | Good | Varies, Generally Good |
Average Summer High/Low (°F) | 85°F / 40-55°F | 70-85°F / 50-60°F |
Average Winter High/Low (°F) | 30-40°F / 10-20°F | 25-40°F / 10-20°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 12-24" | 37-46" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 20-100" | 50-110" |
- Maine gets an equal number of sunshine days with Idaho.
- Maine has higher humidity and a lower average UV index compared to Idaho.
- Say goodbye to the possible wildfires and earthquakes in Idaho, but be on the lookout for potential blizzards and nor'easters in Maine.
- Get ready for colder summers. The average summer high temperature in Maine is 15 degrees colder than in Idaho.
- The average winter lows in Maine are 0 degrees colder than they are in Idaho.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Maine. Maine receives 25 more inches of rain compared to Idaho.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Idaho and Maine
Comparison | Idaho | Maine |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $72,785 | $69,543 |
Cost of Living Index | 91.5 | 116.5 |
State Income Tax | 6.93% | 7.15% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.75% | 1.30% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 6.00% | 5.50% |
Top 3 Industries | Agriculture, Technology, Manufacturing | Fishing, Tourism, Healthcare |
Affluence | Moderate | Moderate |
Poverty | Low | Moderate |
Homelessness | Low | Moderate |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Maine tend to earn about 4% less than in Idaho
- The COLI in Maine is 27% higher than what you are used to living in Idaho
- The state income tax in ME is 7.15% compared to 6.93% in ID
- The affluence in Maine is moderate compared to moderate in Idaho
- The poverty level is moderate in Maine compared to low in Idaho
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Idaho and moderate in Maine
Political and Religious Climate in Idaho vs. Maine
Comparison | Idaho | Maine |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Conservative | Moderate to Liberal |
Local Politics | Republican Dominance | Democratic Lean |
Religion | Largely Christian, with a significant Latter-day Saints community | Predominantly Christian, diverse denominations with less emphasis on any single group |
- Idaho tends to lean conservative in its political climate
- Maine, on the other hand, is often described as moderate to liberal
- Maine's religious environment can be described as predominantly Christian with diverse denominations and less emphasis on any single group
- Idaho's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as largely Christian, with a significant Latter-day Saints community
Education Guide When Moving from Idaho to Maine
Comparison | Idaho | Maine |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | Boise State University University of Idaho Idaho State University | University of Maine Bowdoin College Bates College |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Longfellow Elementary - Boise White Pine Elementary - Boise Adams Elementary - Boise | Cape Elizabeth Elementary - Cape Elizabeth Yarmouth Elementary - Yarmouth Cumberland Center Elementary - Cumberland Center |
Top 3 Middle Schools | North Star Charter - Eagle Lakeside Elementary/Middle - Plummer Galileo STEM Academy - Eagle | Falmouth Middle School - Falmouth Cape Elizabeth Middle School - Cape Elizabeth Yarmouth Middle School - Yarmouth |
Top 3 High School Schools | Boise High School - Boise Timberline High School - Boise Renaissance High School - Meridian | Greely High School - Cumberland Yarmouth High School - Yarmouth Cape Elizabeth High School - Cape Elizabeth |
Top 3 private high schools | Bishop Kelly High School - Boise The Ambrose School - Meridian Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy - Coeur d'Alene | Waynflete School - Portland Hebron Academy - Hebron Fryeburg Academy - Fryeburg |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | The Ambrose School - Meridian Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy - Coeur d'Alene Classical Christian Academy - Post Falls | Waynflete School - Portland North Yarmouth Academy - Yarmouth Maine Coast Waldorf School- Freeport |
Top 3 School Districts | Boise School District West Ada School District Coeur d'Alene School District | Falmouth School District Yarmouth School District Cape Elizabeth School District |
How Much Do Idaho to Maine Movers Cost?
Moving 2,806 miles from Idaho to Maine will typically cost between $4,000 and $10,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $4,000 - $10,000
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Valley Custom Moving
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,793 | 300 ft3 | $9.31 |
1 Bedroom | $4,167 | 450 ft3 | $9.26 |
2 Bedrooms | $6,908 | 750 ft3 | $9.21 |
3 Bedrooms | $10,077 | 1100 ft3 | $9.16 |
4 Bedrooms | $14,578 | 1600 ft3 | $9.11 |
5+ Bedrooms | $16,310 | 1800 ft3 | $9.06 |
Top Idaho to Maine Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Idaho to Maine movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.