Downeast or The County? (Portland, Presque Isle: job market, camps, income)

[woxyroxme]

Everyone on the Maine forum that knows me and dramamama6685 knows we are retiring to Eastport, mostly because I have family ties there and had the most enjoyable days of my childhood there.

[AustinB]

Originally Posted by woxyroxme

Everyone on the Maine forum that knows me and dramamama6685 knows we are retiring to Eastport, mostly because I have family ties there and had the most enjoyable days of my childhood there.

I never noticed.

[P-Anne]

I'm sorry, massnative, but until you deal with #4, you're better off staying in Mass. I don't know about Maine being a magnet for freeloaders, I know that a lot of Mainers can't live particularly well on service-job wages. We also have generations of poverty from lack of opportunity, and we have people who would rather live on welfare than work.

We also have an easy-going way of life, and a lot of people don't judge their neighbors by the condition of their house, the age of their car or how they spend their time and spare cash. It is a great place to live and let live.

Come join us, when you can.

[massnative71]

I've narrowed it down to the Calais and Houlton areas. Pros+cons of each/major differences? Looking specifically for people familiar with both. Anything I should be aware of (particularly that I can't see through basic research and brief visits)? Thanks in advance.

Also which area do you think has more economic potential?

[HighTechRocker]

Both areas are rather impoverished - Houlton slightly more so (roughly 20%) according to census data. If economic potential is one of your criteria, I would suggest looking at Machias or Caribou instead. They are both below the average poverty level - state-wide and nationally. Machias is in Washington County and about and an hour and 45 minutes from Bangor. Caribou is in Aroostook Country and under an hour to Edmundston, NB.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by HighTechRocker

Both areas are rather impoverished - Houlton slightly more so (roughly 20%) according to census data. If economic potential is one of your criteria, I would suggest looking at Machias or Caribou instead. They are both below the average poverty level - state-wide and nationally. Machias is in Washington County and about and an hour and 45 minutes from Bangor. Caribou is in Aroostook Country and under an hour to Edmundston, NB.

It's between the two places I mentioned (at this time anyway). It's funny, I had the impression Calais had more poverty/higher unemployment, more vacant houses, etc. It has lost way more of it's population over the past few decades. I'm primarily focused on the future, and where things look brighter over the long run (which one will/won't become a ghost town in 20 years). They both seem pretty similar at current.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Baileyville is getting two new paper machines in the next 15 months. There are many direct and support jobs involved. When they built the new bridge in Calais one of our members did a good business supporting the construction workers with innovative and delicious meals. That same opportunity will occur again. All these people are going to need food, clothing and shelter. There will also be a lesser number of permanent jobs long into the future.

Something similar could happen in Houlton, but I have not heard of any so far.

[maineguy8888]

I work in Houlton and know it well. It is doing pretty well overall. It's the county seat, which helps a lot economically. Plus it is located at a major crossroads and gets tons of commerce/traffic from that. A ton of shoppers come over from Canada. The new border crossing in Calais is outside of the town, and this has had a devastating impact. Houlton has lost a bit of population over the last fifty years, but NOWHERE near what Calais has lost (from over 7,500 to 3,000). Calais has lost some major things over the last few years and all the news from there just seems to be bad. Houlton has a pretty broad-based economy, with agriculture, manufacturing, services (huge border patrol/customs presence), tourism, a big lumber mill just outside of town, etc. There is also a growing Amish community ten miles outside of town. My nephew worked in Calais the last two summers, and says it is (quote) "the pits". Rampant drug use etc. . Not that Houlton doesn't have problems too, but nothing like Calais. Any idea proposed for the Calais area has been shot down (casino, LNG terminal, etc.) and honestly, you are going to see its population continue to shrink and shrink.

I would gladly live in Houlton if I didn't live where I do. I would not want to live in Calais.
Just my opinion.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by maineguy8888

I work in Houlton and know it well. It is doing pretty well overall. It's the county seat, which helps a lot economically. Plus it is located at a major crossroads and gets tons of commerce/traffic from that. A ton of shoppers come over from Canada. The new border crossing in Calais is outside of the town, and this has had a devastating impact. Houlton has lost a bit of population over the last fifty years, but NOWHERE near what Calais has lost (from over 7,500 to 3,000). Calais has lost some major things over the last few years and all the news from there just seems to be bad. Houlton has a pretty broad-based economy, with agriculture, manufacturing, services (huge border patrol/customs presence), tourism, a big lumber mill just outside of town, etc. There is also a growing Amish community ten miles outside of town. My nephew worked in Calais the last two summers, and says it is (quote) "the pits". Rampant drug use etc. . Not that Houlton doesn't have problems too, but nothing like Calais. Any idea proposed for the Calais area has been shot down (casino, LNG terminal, etc.) and honestly, you are going to see its population continue to shrink and shrink.

I would gladly live in Houlton if I didn't live where I do. I would not want to live in Calais.
Just my opinion.

good post from someone familiar with Houlton


I like Houlton- you can drive west on rte 2 and its one of my favorite scenic drives- and if you drive south towards Danforth, again one of my favorite scenic drives-

different parts of maine affects people differently, maine is over 93% trees. but in Aroostook county- which Houlton is in, you have wide open spaces, even if its farm country- its a different feeling to me, you drive around the county after
the first snow storm, you can drive over a knoll, and a whole new white vista is in front of you- and it is magnificent!

and you can drive the same route/road every single day, and it never looks exactly the same you always notice something different

[massnative71]

Thanks for the replies guys. I guess things are leaning towards Houlton/Aroostook County, although I do I have to say that I love the coastal scenery/general feel of the Calais area and other personal circumstances might lead me there in the end.

Just a question, how has the new border crossing really affected the town? It certainly didn't look any worse than 10-15 years ago (possibly better even).