Best and worst places to live in ME (Portland, Augusta: shop, residential)

[maine4.us]

ditto

[angelo129]

Originally Posted by BadgerNut

What can you tell me about these cities: Auburn, Waterville and Windham? Thanks.

I can tell you about Windham, which is decidedly not a city. It's a rural area spread out over a couple miles, with a tiny town center. The town center has a couple Mom and Pop stores and is dominated by a pretty large and long-abandoned factory. In fact, there are a fair number of other abandoned commercial properties in the center of Windham, which has a very dead feel to it. The street is empty and there's pretty much no one around. If you walk up the residential streets though, it's for the most part pleasant with well kept properties.

There is a large correctional center in Windham, which needn't worry anyone unless they have a prejudice against being near a jail. It's quiet and surrounded by green fields. Most of the Windham area is very rural and quite pretty. There are some lovely old houses, as well as some trailers in a state of extreme dilapidation. It's a fairly hilly area, and sometimes you can pick up a not-too-pleasant industrial odor from the paper plant.

There's good shopping, with a nearby Walmart and plenty of other stores. It's also a very easy, quick and direct commute into Portland. I consider it the best of the outlying communities in terms of commute for both the time and the low level of traffic (coming in from Old Orchard Beach is not that much farther, but a horrible tangle of traffic in summer).

Housing prices rose way beyond their actual value in the last several years, but have begun to drop a bit. Rentals are few and are overpriced, but no more so than the Portland area in general.

I hope that helps with your question.

[elston]

Wow, what an excellent post Angelo! It gives lots of information; you obviously know the town your are describing and you give us a good picture and leave the classification (best/worst) pretty much to the inquirer!

[BadgerNut]

Originally Posted by Fort Lauderdale mermaid

First of all, the question was very subjective. We are all very partial to certain parts of Maine. There is such a wide contrast to different areas.

Fort Lauderdale mermaid, thanks for your thoughts but let me make a comment. My original post asked for best and worst places to live in Maine and why. The why is very important to all of us considering moving into your beautiful state. If you don't tell us we can not be objective in deciding where the best place would be that would fit our types of personality, families, lifestyles. I agree that it is subjective, but any little thing helps in forming an opinion.

You also said that no one would tell us that Maine is a H_ _ _ Hole, I wouldn't expect you to. But what I'm sure all of us who are considering Maine would appreciate, and some of you have help me tremendously either through private messages or on this forum, is to be openly honest about the areas. Every city, location has it's good and bad points - that doesn't make Maine a H_ _ _ Hole.

Wisconsin is very similar to Maine in landscape (no mountains but large hilly areas, no ocean but lots of prestine lakes and lake Michigan) and it's also similar in the types of cities, townships and rural areas (we do have more larger cities than you though - plus don't forget we have the GREEN BAY PACKERS! - Sorry , we Wisconsinites love our Packers!). And if you were to ask me about the best/worst places in Wisconsin, I would give you my subjective and objective opinion. I'm sure there would be many who would disagree but that's what makes it interesting !

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by BadgerNut

Fort Lauderdale mermaid, thanks for your thoughts but let me make a comment. My original post asked for best and worst places to live in Maine and why. The why is very important to all of us considering moving into your beautiful state. If you don't tell us we can not be objective in deciding where the best place would be that would fit our types of personality, families, lifestyles. I agree that it is subjective, but any little thing helps in forming an opinion.

You also said that no one would tell us that Maine is a H_ _ _ Hole, I wouldn't expect you to. But what I'm sure all of us who are considering Maine would appreciate, and some of you have help me tremendously either through private messages or on this forum, is to be openly honest about the areas. Every city, location has it's good and bad points - that doesn't make Maine a H_ _ _ Hole.

Wisconsin is very similar to Maine in landscape (no mountains but large hilly areas, no ocean but lots of prestine lakes and lake Michigan) and it's also similar in the types of cities, townships and rural areas (we do have more larger cities than you though - plus don't forget we have the GREEN BAY PACKERS! - Sorry , we Wisconsinites love our Packers!). And if you were to ask me about the best/worst places in Wisconsin, I would give you my subjective and objective opinion. I'm sure there would be many who would disagree but that's what makes it interesting !

Maine also has a lot of fishing, hunting, boating, hiking, camping, types of things.

Plus ski slopes, we got lots of ski slopes.

Personally I prefer dense forest canopy surroudn9ign our home, with our kayaks ties up just out our back door.

[msina]

The best place to live in Maine........The small towns around Bangor where there is still room to breath and affordable housing. Easy commute to Bangor for shopping, medical and employment needs. Most anything is available that I can think of yet, you can still get away to your own little piece of Earth. But that's just MHO.

[MRVphotog]

Originally Posted by angelo129

I can tell you about Windham, which is decidedly not a city. It's a rural area spread out over a couple miles, with a tiny town center. The town center has a couple Mom and Pop stores and is dominated by a pretty large and long-abandoned factory. I

There must be two Windhams cause the one I'm familar with is not like the one you described. The Windham I know is 2 miles of shopping centers with every big box store and fast food joints on a busy 4 lane piece of Rt 302. Maybe you consider this North Windham but when people go to Windham, that's where they are heading not the little village on Rt 202/4.

Not saying it's a bad place just saying it's not just a "tiny town center with a couple of mom and Pop stores". I do like getting a sandwich at Manginos once in awhile.

just one of several shopping centers in Windham

[island mermaid]

MRVphotog, that must be the same Windham I am familiar with too! The Rt 302 I know has a Hannaford, a Shaws and everything else you've described. Hmmmm....

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by MRVphotog

There must be two Windhams cause the one I'm familar with is not like the one you described. The Windham I know is 2 miles of shopping centers with every big box store and fast food joints on a busy 4 lane piece of Rt 302. Maybe you consider this North Windham but when people go to Windham, that's where they are heading not the little village on Rt 202/4.

Not saying it's a bad place just saying it's not just a "tiny town center with a couple of mom and Pop stores". I do like getting a sandwich at Manginos once in awhile.

just one of several shopping centers in Windham

and here in the challenge of takings one persons perspective,(from the above post by angelo),,, from my perspective about windham,
this post is correct i travel thru windham alot, mostly on rte 302, quite the commercial area with many many stores/outlets

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by BadgerNut

Fort Lauderdale mermaid, thanks for your thoughts but let me make a comment. My original post asked for best and worst places to live in Maine and why. The why is very important to all of us considering moving into your beautiful state. If you don't tell us we can not be objective in deciding where the best place would be that would fit our types of personality, families, lifestyles. I agree that it is subjective, but any little thing helps in forming an opinion.

You also said that no one would tell us that Maine is a H_ _ _ Hole, I wouldn't expect you to. But what I'm sure all of us who are considering Maine would appreciate, and some of you have help me tremendously either through private messages or on this forum, is to be openly honest about the areas. Every city, location has it's good and bad points - that doesn't make Maine a H_ _ _ Hole.

Wisconsin is very similar to Maine in landscape (no mountains but large hilly areas, no ocean but lots of prestine lakes and lake Michigan) and it's also similar in the types of cities, townships and rural areas (we do have more larger cities than you though - plus don't forget we have the GREEN BAY PACKERS! - Sorry , we Wisconsinites love our Packers!). And if you were to ask me about the best/worst places in Wisconsin, I would give you my subjective and objective opinion. I'm sure there would be many who would disagree but that's what makes it interesting !

hi badger, good post, maybe we could better answer about the "worst" places, if you defined what "worst" means to you,,,some folks despise being out the country,,,while others thrive on it,,some folks despise being in a densely populated city,,while others thrive on it,,
when one defines what "worst" means to them, it is subjective, with inherent bias's