$19 an Hour in Maine — After-Tax Take-Home (2026)
At $19/hour (2,080 hours/year), your gross annual income is $39,520. After federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and Maine state income tax, your take-home pay is $15.66/hr. In Maine's medium cost-of-living environment, this is below what's needed for comfortable living in Maine.
Pay Period Breakdown
Full Tax Breakdown — Maine, Single Filer
How Does Maine Compare?
See how $19/hr take-home differs in other states at the same wage:
Equivalent Annual Salary Pages
$19/hr = $39,520/year gross. See the full state-by-state salary breakdown:
Adjacent Rates in Maine
Same Rate, Other States
Cost of Living in Maine
- Avg 1BR rent in Portland: $1,300/mo — over the 30% rule (39% of gross monthly)
- Minimum comfortable income in Maine: $42,000/yr
- Your net annual: $32,576 ($9,424 below comfortable threshold)
- Purchasing power equivalent in Texas: ~$19/hr
Working at $19/hr in Maine
This is a livable income in Maine outside Portland's premium neighborhoods. Healthcare and tourism both create employment at this level. Maine's progressive tax structure means the effective state rate at mid-income is around 5–6%.
At ${rate}/hr, you work roughly 84 hours each month to cover a typical 1BR in Portland (${rent.toLocaleString()}/mo) -- that's above the 30% gross income guideline. This wage is 1.3x Maine's minimum wage of ${ctx.minWage}/hr. Your combined effective tax rate at ${rate}/hr in Maine is 17.6% -- federal income tax accounts for 6.5%, FICA 7.6%, and Maine state tax 3.4%.
Maine's economy is driven by tourism, fishing, forestry, healthcare, and a growing remote-work population. Portland has emerged as a foodie and creative economy hub. The state struggles with an aging population and workforce shortages in many sectors.
Maine has a progressive income tax with a top rate of 7.15%. The state mirrors the federal standard deduction. Maine also has significant property taxes, especially in coastal areas.
Maine's minimum wage is $14.65/hr (2026), indexed to inflation.
Monthly Budget on $19/hr in Maine
Based on $2,715/month take-home. Percentages follow common 50/30/20 guidelines adjusted for Maine's cost of living.
Overtime Pay — $19/hr in Maine
At time-and-a-half ($28.50/hr), here's what overtime adds to your annual net income in Maine. Your marginal tax rate at this income level is ~19.3%.
Hours to Afford Common Purchases at $19/hr
How many hours of work (gross) to buy common items. Actual cost in after-tax hours is higher — divide by your $15.66 net hourly rate for the true cost in time.
Frequently Asked Questions
19 an hour -- is it a good wage in Maine?
19/hr in Maine gives you $32,576/year after taxes -- below what's needed for comfortable living in Maine. Avg 1BR rent in Portland: $1,300/month (exceeds the 30% rule).
What is 19 an hour after taxes in Maine?
19/hr in Maine = $32,576/year or $2,715/month net. Effective rate: 17.6%.
How does 19/hr go further -- Maine or Texas?
19/hr in Maine has similar purchasing power to ~19/hr in Texas.
What does 19/hr look like as a monthly budget in Maine?
On $2,715/month in Maine: rent $1,300, food $326, transport $271, savings $271, surplus ~$112.
How much does overtime add at 19/hr in Maine?
At 1.5x (28.50/hr OT), 5 extra hrs/week adds ~$5,750/year net; 10 hrs/week adds ~$11,500/year.