Looking to settle in Maine. (Portland, Bangor: rent, home, transfer)

[jdorm41]

Hello everyone, my wife and I are looking to settle in Maine sometime in the next two or three years. We are looking forward to visiting the state in order to decide where we'd like to settle. We're looking to coming up next April or May and are interested in getting some information from some of the local inhabitants of the state.
Here's a little information about us. My wife is from Detroit, so she's used to severe winters. I'm been in Tennessee most of my life so I'm used to country living. I work in retail and wouldn't consider moving to Maine without securing a job in the company I'm employed by, which won't be an issue if there's openings. My wife most likely will work from home.
Now then, this is what we're looking for. We would love to have a quaint country town where people still do community events and where the people are friendly and inviting. Where we've lived, there's some of the rudest people ever. We don't want to live in the dark ages or lose power or Internet every day the clouds come in.
We're looking at Portland, Calias, Bangor, Scarborough, and Windham. I apologise if I've misspelled anything as I'm sure I'll miss pronounce the cities as well.
Thanks for any help someone can provide us.

[maineborzoi]

Originally Posted by jdorm41

Hello everyone, my wife and I are looking to settle in Maine sometime in the next two or three years. We are looking forward to visiting the state in order to decide where we'd like to settle. We're looking to coming up next April or May and are interested in getting some information from some of the local inhabitants of the state.
Here's a little information about us. My wife is from Detroit, so she's used to severe winters. I'm been in Tennessee most of my life so I'm used to country living. I work in retail and wouldn't consider moving to Maine without securing a job in the company I'm employed by, which won't be an issue if there's openings. My wife most likely will work from home.
Now then, this is what we're looking for. We would love to have a quaint country town where people still do community events and where the people are friendly and inviting. Where we've lived, there's some of the rudest people ever. We don't want to live in the dark ages or lose power or Internet every day the clouds come in.
We're looking at Portland, Calias, Bangor, Scarborough, and Windham. I apologise if I've misspelled anything as I'm sure I'll miss pronounce the cities as well.
Thanks for any help someone can provide us.

We don't live too far from Calais, and it is a nice area. We are in Princeton, and for sure the home town feeling. While we having shopping ( IGA, Ace, gas stations, restaurant, post office etc), it is the town people that sold us here. We have our local stuff- pot luck dinners, etc, a real down to earth place.
Calais is a bigger area- good shopping, and typical Mainer people- friendly and polite.
Good luck in your search !
We moved here a little over 3 years ago from Virginia to retire, and Loving Every Single minute of it !!

[maineguy8888]

I would go with Bangor out of those choices.

[jdorm41]

Our choices aren't strictly limited to those towns I've listed. We're looking to visit those areas but I'm also looking for some other places to consider as well. We're open to anywhere in the state. We'll definitely visit Princeton.

[quietnights]

Portland, Scarborough and Windham are all in very southern Maine, and not quaint at all, but there are certainly lots of community events. Bangor is Maine's third largest city. Based on what you've said so far, it sounds like Bangor and north might suit you, but again finding the retail work you'd like might be a challenge too.

Or maybe you'd like to live in a small town outside of a city so that you have easier work/shopping/healthcare access.

Maybe you can give us more details about the population size of the place you'd feel most comfortable.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Bangor and surrounding smaller towns are what you are looking for. Bangor has some very good hospitals.

[Maineac]

Whoa. Some big BIG differences in locales. Given your timeframe, spend some time studying and visiting. Unless you are living on a nice pension, you will need gainful employ. That tends to be a major motivator. NMLM's advice might be the best in the list, and Maineguy's preference as well. BUT, get around, visit, see, hear and maybe even rent somewhere for a couple of months.

[jdorm41]

First off, as far as population goes, we aren't picky but would like to run into a neighbor or someone we know more than once or twice a month at the local grocery store. Where I grew up as a child, we'd only got to town biweekly so we're definitely looking for places where it's not THAT secluded. Where I work, there's management positions open now that starts at 50k annually. Our household income will be near 100k when we move. We want to be able to experience life in private but not cave people. As far as cities, I'm not familiar with any of the smaller areas so that's why I only gave a short list. I've been researching for the last month on areas.

[Kiwiluver]

I am a country boy from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and like Calais just fine, I have to drive to Bangor, Ellsworth or Saint John and Fredericton New Brunswick on occasion to make some purchases, but eBay and Amazon deliver as well. Funny thing is, often as not it's warmer in Calais than my home in North Carolina except perhaps for the odd day in December-February.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by jdorm41

... I work in retail and wouldn't consider moving to Maine without securing a job in the company I'm employed by, which won't be an issue if there's openings.

Where such a job opening exists will play a large role in where you can settle. Before we moved to Maine my Dw had a federal job working for an alphabet agency. She was able to transfer her job to Bangor, so we located a town near Bangor that we like.

A 3-hour commute will ruin even the 'best' locations.