How Long You Have to Work to Afford a Cup of Coffee in Maine

We love our cups of Joe up here in Maine—but how long does the average Mainer have to work to afford one?

Listen, up here we don’t just love our coffee—we borderline need it for that extra boost to keep us going all day. We know we’d probably be better off without it, but we’re too far gone—so how much does it really cost to keep up this habit?

Credit: Canva / Getty Stock

Well, how do we even know something like that? It feels super niche, oddly specific, and deep in the numbers, right?

To figure out how long it takes to afford a cup of coffee in each state, Coffeeness gathered the average price of a regular black coffee and compared it to average hourly wages using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They then calculated how many minutes someone would need to work to afford one daily cup, excluding specialty or boutique coffee options.

Alright, having covered that, how long do you actually have to work in Maine to afford that daily cup of coffee you love so much?

According to Coffeeness and their study titled ‘Working for Coffee: The Time it Takes to Afford a Cup of Joe,’ here in Maine—assuming we’re being paid by the second rather than hourly or salaried—the average Mainer has to work 5.63 minutes to afford a cup.

Credit: Coffeeness

Get our free mobile app

Maine ranks as the 15th most expensive state when it comes to how long you need to work to afford a cup of coffee.

That puts us in a three-way tie with Tennessee and Oklahoma, so if you’re ever craving a change of scenery but want to keep your coffee-to-work ratio the same, those states might be your match.

Credit: Canva / Getty Stock

And there you have it: when you break down the cost-to-hourly-earnings ratio, the average person in Maine would need to work about five and a half minutes to earn that coffee.

What are your thoughts on these results from Coffeeness? We’d love to hear from you! Feel free to join the conversation by messaging us on the app.

America's Worst Coffee Brands

Is there anything better than a cup of coffee in the AM? Before you pour that cup of Joe, take a peek at the list of coffee brands you should avoid.

Gallery Credit: Samm Adams/DD

10 Coffeehouse Chains That Need to Open Locations in Maine

We love our coffee and coffeehouses here in Maine—but can you ever really have enough? If you ask the Gilmore Girls, you already know the answer is a resounding no—so here’s a list of coffeehouse chains from around the world that haven’t made it to Maine yet, but totally should!

Gallery Credit: Jordan Verge