Rockland Area (Portland, South Portland, Scarborough: real estate, crime rate, homes)

[Nate20007]

What do people think about the Rockland area as far as potential growth? What do you think the future holds for real estate prices, jobs, retail growth, population growth? I am thinking about moving to Maine and Rockland in, particular, interests me.

[Nancy-NJ-NY-ME?]

Thanks for asking this. I'll be interested in the opinions that get posted as I, too, am considering moving to Rockland.

[Nate20007]

So far no one is answering. No one knows about Rockland area enough to give some advice and information?

[MRVphotog]

I think Rockland is really nice. The wife and I have fed the crowds at the North Atlantic Blues Festival for the past 6 years. It's held at Harbor Park which a really cool place.

It's probably most know for the annual Lobster Festival with many thousands attending. It's part summer tourist coastal town and part real coastal fishing village. They still have a cannery operating on the north side of the harbor.

They got a hit jobwise a couple of years ago with the new fancy MBNA office closing down. If your into art the Farnsworth Museum has collections of the Wyeths from Monhegan Island, incredible stuff. Taking the ferry and spending the day out at Monhegan Island is awesome. It's also home to a very cool old school boat buiding school.

Their is a good little mexican restaurant on the north end of the downtown and a busy old fashioned Dairy Queen, which I love and kids love, my wife hates

One more thing, just down the road is Moody's, one of the best family diners on the planet, just thinking about the pies...ooh la la

[seldomseen]

Rockland is decent...for the locals Rockland is considered a bit seedy. Camden is also a nice area, that doesn't have any larger commericial businesses. However, the employment market for this area of Maine isn't really good. It's extremely difficult to earn a good living in this area.

[Desirae]

I grew up (from 10years old to 20years old) in So. Thomaston/Owls Head (Rockland School District). I lived there for about 10 years and then got the hell out of dodge! My parents still live in Owls Head so I am in Rockland about once a month.

Rockland has definitely grown and improved since I moved away (I now live in Portland). The main street area has grown in business and attractiveness, however the people remain the same.

Rockland is a very straight, white city with a very collective, narrow mind. Anything seen as "different" is rejected. It's also a relatively poor city.

It is big on festivals and, therefore, tourists in the summer, but other than that, it's a dead city.

If you can afford it, I would move up the coast 20 minutes to Camden. Or move to Portland. As far as I'm concerned, Portland is the place to be in Maine. (Or the surrounding towns of Portland--Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Cumberland, Falmouth, South Portland.)

[seldomseen]

Originally Posted by Desirae

I grew up (from 10years old to 20years old) in So. Thomaston/Owls Head (Rockland School District). I lived there for about 10 years and then got the hell out of dodge! My parents still live in Owls Head so I am in Rockland about once a month.

Rockland has definitely grown and improved since I moved away (I now live in Portland). The main street area has grown in business and attractiveness, however the people remain the same.

Rockland is a very straight, white city with a very collective, narrow mind. Anything seen as "different" is rejected. It's also a relatively poor city.

It is big on festivals and, therefore, tourists in the summer, but other than that, it's a dead city.

If you can afford it, I would move up the coast 20 minutes to Camden. Or move to Portland. As far as I'm concerned, Portland is the place to be in Maine. (Or the surrounding towns of Portland--Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Cumberland, Falmouth, South Portland.)

I agree if you want to "live" in Maine I would suggest the Portland area too. I'd only live in the rural parts, if I could afford a nice waterfront property to live in during the summer months. :-)

[Mark S.]

Why is the crime rate so high in Rockland?

Check out the crime stats: http://www.city-data.com/city/Rockland-Maine.html

[399083453]

High?

Looks like 1 guy could have committed all those crimes!

I love to vacation to the Rockland/Rockport area. I've never thought of crime as a problem. I can see theft being high with the tourists leaving a camera in the car, ipod on the seat, etc.

real estate prices - might increase as seasonal homes increase
jobs - seasonal job growth with more tourism
retail growth - again seasonal job growth with more tourism
population growth - i dont see permanent residence growing

The downtown is still transitional. I see retail stores going out of business each year i visit, and then replaced by another person trying to make it. Might take a little while to stabilize, but I think it will.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by 399083453

High?

Looks like 1 guy could have committed all those crimes!

I love to vacation to the Rockland/Rockport area. I've never thought of crime as a problem. I can see theft being high with the tourists leaving a camera in the car, ipod on the seat, etc.

I've never been there. I know nothing beyond what the stats say, and for such a small coastal town, those stats seem outrageously high. For example:

U.S. average crime rate is 325.2. In 2005, Rockland's was 390.5! Yeeouch!

1 murder in 2005. 8 rapes. 2 robberies. 37 burglaries. 437 thefts. 12 auto thefts. For some place like Los Angeles, that would simply be called Friday night, 8 pm. But for Rockland, ME with a population of 8,000 or less, that seems abominably high.

What's up with those crime rates? Do most of those crimes represent one weekend during the blues festival? Or is it just a high-crime area?