Maine or NH for relocation? (Portland, Bangor: sales, real estate, crime)

[movintime]

Both are very equal in our vote. But I like Maine because of various reasons. I made a thread last yr about high cancer rates, though, in Maine & now NH also has high rates I see. Can anyone clear up which would be best vs all things considered?

I'd include everything from; health care rank, smoking rates (preferrably lower amount of smokers - we don't like or want 2nd-hand smoke if possible), the best economy, weather, crime rate, pollution, cancer rate, heart disease rate, etc.

Also, cost of living & other factors that anyone can add that may weigh in the decision.

Thanks alot to all for the info & help. Any clarification/feedback would certainly help alleviate confusion between the two states.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Maine is bigger, more rural and has more freedom (except in the Unorganized Territories). There are still rural towns with no zoning. You need to do a lot of research on your own or ask somebody who knows.

Maine is the highest taxed state in the nation per capita income.
NH is #49 only because Alaska pays people to live there.

Maine has excellent health care. Our rating is lower simply because of the loong distances some people have to travel for specialized care.

Maine's smoking rate is declining. We have received awards for our smoking education spending.

NH has a much better economy due to their tax system and more hassle free government.
Maine could become more hassle free because we have had a large change in government.

NH is colder than Maine.

The FBI says that Maine is the safest state.

Both states have low pollution rates.

Both states have "cancer clusters" which are mysterious.

Maine has much higher rates of obesity and heart disease. This is due in part to our lower income structure. You can't live on mac and cheese without paying the penalties.

Maine is beginning a long recovery from four decades of decline. It won't happen overnight, but there is a blue sign when you come across the green bridge that says, "Maine is Open for Business."

Hope this helps.

Oh yeah; We have 2,000 miles more shoreline.

[Nor'Eastah]

How North Can You Go?

Maine juts up into Canada much higher (more northerly) than any other eastern state. It tops out at 47 deg 28' compared to New Hampshire's 45 deg 18'. For those of us who like "nawth" it beats anything else in the east.

Don't worry about the cancer/heart disease stuff. That's a lifestyle issue, and as NMLM pointed out, also a poverty issue. You can get those diseases right where you are now. I doubt if the cancer is environmental, or it wouldn't be so "mysterious".

As for the high taxes, you can sidestep a lot of that just by becoming a "legal" resident of New Hampshire, while curling up at night in your Maine cabin! A lot of folks 'from away' have camps in Maine. (Disclaimer: I'm not suggesting that anybody do anything illegal....).

[ADSLubec]

Maine has a great coast, New Hampshire's limited coast kinda sucks. Just sayin'.

Alan

[halfabuck]

When driving the length of New Hampshire lately I have noticed a dramatic increase in traffic and people whereas Maine does not seem to be as busy. At least this seems to be the case after getting through Augusta. When I lived in New Hampshire it was several decades ago when it was starting to become a bedroom community to Massachusetts. After many years of expansion New Hampshire seems to be a little crowded to me but while this could happen in Maine it would still seem very rural because of the land area involved.

[WhoFanMe]

Originally Posted by movintime

Both are very equal in our vote. But I like Maine because of various reasons. I made a thread last yr about high cancer rates, though, in Maine & now NH also has high rates I see. Can anyone clear up which would be best vs all things considered?

I'd include everything from; health care rank, smoking rates (preferrably lower amount of smokers - we don't like or want 2nd-hand smoke if possible), the best economy, weather, crime rate, pollution, cancer rate, heart disease rate, etc.

Also, cost of living & other factors that anyone can add that may weigh in the decision.

Thanks alot to all for the info & help. Any clarification/feedback would certainly help alleviate confusion between the two states.

It's difficult to compare states as real estate is local, you might have better luck comparing Manchester, NH to Portland, ME or Portsmouth, NH to Bangor, ME.

[Newdaawn]

I doubt that Maine will ever become a "bedroom" community of MA as the commute just wouldn't be practical. As far as comparing NH to Maine it is very subjective depending on what your needs are and what kind of life you want, ie a small village or a city and how you like to spend your free time.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

A 3 bedroom ranch with two car garage on an acre or more can be bought in Maine for $85,000. The same house in NH would be $170,000. Since property taxes are based on valuations the NH homeowner pays a much higher property tax on a similar property. Why is the house worth more? It's because there is more economic opportunity over there on the other side of the Maple Curtain.

The Maple Curtain is the boundary between Maine and NH just as the Iron Curtain was the boundary between two very different economic systems in Europe. For the last 40 years, Maine was more like Eastern Europe as to economic freedom and opportunity. NH was a free wheeling free enterprise paradise. New Hampshire has been chosen as the destination state of the Free State Movement because they see it as the best opportunity to preserve freedom on a constitutional basis. That whole movement is best described as hope.

There is a dedicated group of Mainers who want to preserve the freedoms we have and regain the freedoms we have lost. If you are into freedom, liberty and self determination we need you.

[JC3]

Having just become a full fledged Maine resident recently who resided for 30+ years in NH, the question asked is kind of difficult. Both states have it's share of plusses. Nh is cheaper in some things and more expensive in others. Weather is very similar to Maine (can't speak for the far north of either state) but from Bangor down, not much of a difference. My friend who is a builder in Nh put together my plans for the house here. He asked me if I had any clue what this was going to cost to build. I said how much? When he told me and after I picked myself up off the floor, I said you gotta be @$S#%^ me! After I found a builder up here (an excellent one I have to say) I told him what it was going to cost to build in Maine, it was his turn to say, you gotta be @(#(#** me! You pay a sales tax here where as in Nh you don't. If you are purchasing vehicles, boat, appliances..etc...you save substantially there. Property taxes in Nh may run a little higher there although some towns are not too bad. I checked oil/propane prices and both states are similar. Food prices appear to be higher in Maine as well as gas prices. Yes, there is no comparison for coastline. In all my time in NH I wouldn't even bother with the beach there..a zoo. I would go down to Mass beaches or up here. Nh has the same kind of outdoor activities as Maine. The lakes down there are crowded but nice. As for diseases, I haven't figured out yet what difference it makes where you live. Cancer and some other stuff knows no boundaries. As for smoking, I see just as many puffing away up here as I did down there. Since I am a bum and work is not an issue, I decided I would "suffer" with the sales taxes and income taxes. BUT!!! If I had to work.....I don't think I would be in Maine, I would have stayed in NH the way things are right now.
Nh used to be a die hard Republican state but over the years has become more moderate but still leans right. The Union Leader paper can be compared to the Bangor Daily News, only completely opposite from the political spectrum. One falls over to the right while the other fall to the left.
To sum it up, you won't go wrong with either state. It all depends what you are looking for and what works for you.

[WhoFanMe]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

A 3 bedroom ranch with two car garage on an acre or more can be bought in Maine for $85,000.

Real Estate is local, that house in Greater Portland (unless it is a distressed property and/or in poor condition) will sell for for at least twice that amount.