Best place to live in Maine? (Portland, Lewiston: real estate, house, employment)

[Ozarks]

Big order isn't it?

Hi, I've been reading a lot of posts here and now have registered so I could stir the pot a bit myself.

We are looking into making a jump in a few (5<) years to new england. Heard somethings about VT which keeps us from thinking there. And we have looked around enough (online) to think we are going to foucus on Maine and New Hampshire. NH seems expensive to us, as does some parts of Maine. So my question is what is the best palce to live in main with the following modifiers:
(in no particular order)

1. Work. We are not doctors or anything so work counts.
2. Beauty. Yep that counts too. We are outdoors folk. We like playing in it and seeing it. (hunting a big plus)
3. Population. We would like to live in the country (or small population town) but be close enough to a good size (population) town for work.
4. Cost. Taxes and real estate. When we jump we figure we'll need a few (5-ish) acres to keep elbow space. I know that taxes in Maine are high, but I am told it varies greatly.

Where we are coming from is Harrison Arkansas. I mention that so you can see the city-data on us so you know that we are looking for somehting better, but something that people coming from such a place can afford. We are thinking about housing in the 150k ballpark. More may be available, but that is the starting point.

We are planning a trip up that way for next October, so we are trying to figure where we need to go to check things out. Thanks.

[Acadianlion]

It seems that the biggest concern that you have is work. So where you end up will depend upon what you do. If you have a specific skill then you will need to find somewhere that that skill can be employed.

Remember, ALWAYS remember: Maine has a population of 1.2 million people and they are scattered over an area the size of all five other New England states combined. Population density is greatest in the southwestern corner of the state, nearest New Hampshire, with a pocket in Lewiston and another one in Bangor. General employment is greatest in the southwest where the land and property prices are highest.

[tkx7]

something around Augusta, Bangor, Lewiston, or even Presque Isle- look into those cities in that order and then just live somewhere outside them in the country. By the way i wouldnt consider it the "country"- its more like just living in the woods somewhere with more rural surroundings, farming isnt a huge thing here in Maine, there are more woods and forests than farmland.

[Lt's Girl]

do you think a Calif girl can survive in Maine?

[Dragondog]

Actually Vermont has many positves-
In Maine- finding employment will easiest in the southwestern part of the state- Standsih, to the northwest of Portland has much in the way of fishing on lake Sebago. It is a pleasant small town, not far from Portland.

[Ozarks]

Originally Posted by CelticLion

Actually Vermont has many positves-

Compared to Maine? How so?

[rico304]

Originally Posted by CelticLion

Actually Vermont has many positves-
In Maine- finding employment will easiest in the southwestern part of the state- Standsih, to the northwest of Portland has much in the way of fishing on lake Sebago. It is a pleasant small town, not far from Portland.

I think Standish is a great area as well. You will be limited as to what size house you find for $15000 though. I GC building projects and $150,000 would be tough. If you looked towards Naples (the other side of Windham) I know you could build a basic ranch for close to what you want to spend.
I have a spec house I'm building in Standish now, but we are approx.
$100,000K off from your price.
We have priced out less expensive packages, but you have to get cheaper land to get the price down in this time of expensive building materials/labor.

Standish is a very nice area. Taxes are still fair, close to Windham(which has almost anything you need) Not far from Portland. It's very rural too. A whole buncha fishing around I don't know about hunting.
Good luck!

[drummerman]

i love maine i would not want to live anywhere else i live in abbot maine were it is great there is not a lot of people so you get alot of land hunting is great in this area espescially greenville for moose and their is a great place to work to in greenville but it has a large popululation abbot has aleast 600 people but every one is spread out its great up here

[mainer1234]

Hello, I'm from maine, so i kinda know this stuff. the best place in the state to live is cleary in penobscot/Waldo county. Somewhere like Winterport would work. There's scenes, land, jobs, and a fair housing market. i can tell u where u dont want to move, thats wasington county. poor, i live in this county.

[mollysmiles]

I love Washington County. I grew up here, and moved away to go to college, just coming back from the Bangor area 7 years ago. It's not the easiest area to make a living, and economically there isn't reliable growth, so it's not for everyone, but definately worth looking into. It's very rural, and beautiful, with friendly, helpful people, but honestly, I can say that about most of the state! There are many great small towns and communities in Maine, and once you start looking into the state more, you'll begin to feel drawn to a particular area, I bet. When you get it narrowed down a bit, be sure to post again. I think we cover a large part of the state on here, and I know someone will be able to give you more specific input .