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Is that for a family of four, or just an individual?
Either way, it is no wonder why MaineCare is so popular.
You might pick up an individual plan for a few hundred a month. Because we have no community rating, by law, there is only one provider. A $400/month policy across the Maple Curtain in N.H. will cost you $1400/month in Maine.
You might pick up an individual plan for a few hundred a month. Because we have no community rating, by law, there is only one provider. A $400/month policy across the Maple Curtain in N.H. will cost you $1400/month in Maine.
Yikes. I assume that is for a healthy, smoke free individual. Would hate to see what the rates were for someone with lupus.
You didn't give any reasons why you want to move to Maine.
My wife and I are both lifelong Mainers and can't get out of here fast enough. After two years of research and 2 trips south we are also moving to Tennessee.
Although some people will argue these facts, here are some things you need to be prepared for.
Maine is one of the highest taxed states in the nation.
Electricity will be double, then you also have to have heat (usually oil or propane)
Health insurance is virtually unattainable unless it is provided by your employer.
Housing and real estate will be more expensive.
The wage scale here is fairly low, so I wouldn't expect to make any more than what you are making now.
And FWIW, I wouldn't live in Beverly, MA for any reason.
You didn't give any reasons why you want to move to Maine.
My wife and I are both lifelong Mainers and can't get out of here fast enough. After two years of research and 2 trips south we are also moving to Tennessee.
Although some people will argue these facts, here are some things you need to be prepared for.
Maine is one of the highest taxed states in the nation.
Electricity will be double, then you also have to have heat (usually oil or propane)
Health insurance is virtually unattainable unless it is provided by your employer.
Housing and real estate will be more expensive.
The wage scale here is fairly low, so I wouldn't expect to make any more than what you are making now.
And FWIW, I wouldn't live in Beverly, MA for any reason.
Hey, want to trade places? I'm another Tennessean who's considering moving to Maine (or at least New England). Living here is cheap comparatively, but I hate it. I won't go into all the reasons why, but needless to say, so far the negatives of the Northeast don't hold a candle to my weariness of being in the South. But I won't know for sure until I try it.
...
Maine is one of the highest taxed states in the nation.
Electricity will be double, then you also have to have heat (usually oil or propane)
Health insurance is virtually unattainable unless it is provided by your employer.
Housing and real estate will be more expensive.
The wage scale here is fairly low, so I wouldn't expect to make any more than what you are making now.
And FWIW, I wouldn't live in Beverly, MA for any reason.
I am so sorry that you feel this way.
At one time, long ago, stats say that Maine did have a high 'tax burden'. However it no longer does. And 'tax burden' is entirely different from high taxes.
We moved to Maine because of the cheap land prices and low taxes.
We have been very happy since our move, knowing that Maine was so cheap, we really did not fully realize exactly how much lower our cost-of-living would be.
But really the difference is one of 'travel'.
Anyone raised in Maine, hears folks whinning about the 'high' prices and 'high' taxes; so they sit and stew about it for years. Fully basking in the beleif that it is expensive. I have met folks who still fully believe that Maine is expensive.
I can show them my property tax bill form Ct, and compare it to our tax bill here in Maine, but their minds just can't manage to expect reality. They have been so totally convinced for years that Maine is expensive, they had a hard time facing reality.
Whereas those of us who have lived a life of moving around, have owned homes in multiple states, and have experienced high taxes; we see it differently here.
I can own 10 times the property in Maine, and pay 1/10 of the taxes. As compared to California, Washington, Virginia, Ct, ...
ok, here's the low down on portland. first off, don't listen to "seasoned mainers", they most likely have never left the state. if they have, they all come RUNNING back to maine. why is this, you ask? because maine is very much removed from the rest of the nation by geography, population, economy, and (most importantly) attitude, that the average mainer, or mainah, finds the outside world a big, scary place full of shiny buildings. there is a reason they call it "vacationland", people escape to maine. that being said, maine is a beautiful place. during the all too short warm season, you can't imagine yourself anywhere else....but then theres winter. if you move from tennessee, brace yourselves. i'm from michigan and am used to rough winters, but sweet jesus, maine winters are a nonstop onslaught of snow, wind, ice, and extreme cold. its january right now and i can't remember warmth. but to tell you the truth, mass won't be much different.
as far as the city of portland, its generally a safe, clean city, although very small. Avoid some of munjoy hill and most of congress, there are not awful, but not great. because portland is as small as it is and caters to mostly summer tourists, it's quaint shops and pretentious restaurants get old quick. also, the job market is not great here. the most common employers are looking for seasonal "grunt workers".
the tourist season is a big part of maine. the city goes from floods of travelers to utter desolation as soon as the temperature drops. i think its this fairweather-friend type of abandonment that makes the locals kind of surly and socially stunted. oh , they are nice people, but have a short tolerance for those not of their...stock. they are also sort of combative, in general. and i'm sure the responses to this post will prove me right. (oh you know you are, don't act like you're not mildly proud of it)
so if your looking to escape and enjoying keeping to yourself in unforgiving cold, maine is the place for you! (oh, and cut your pay by about 30%). if not, then keep maine your vacationland, that's the way life should be.
ok, here's the low down on portland. first off, don't listen to "seasoned mainers", they most likely have never left the state. if they have, they all come RUNNING back to maine. why is this, you ask? because maine is very much removed from the rest of the nation by geography, population, economy, and (most importantly) attitude, that the average mainer, or mainah, finds the outside world a big, scary place full of shiny buildings. there is a reason they call it "vacationland", people escape to maine. that being said, maine is a beautiful place. during the all too short warm season, you can't imagine yourself anywhere else....but then theres winter. if you move from tennessee, brace yourselves. i'm from michigan and am used to rough winters, but sweet jesus, maine winters are a nonstop onslaught of snow, wind, ice, and extreme cold. its january right now and i can't remember warmth. but to tell you the truth, mass won't be much different.
as far as the city of portland, its generally a safe, clean city, although very small. Avoid some of munjoy hill and most of congress, there are not awful, but not great. because portland is as small as it is and caters to mostly summer tourists, it's quaint shops and pretentious restaurants get old quick. also, the job market is not great here. the most common employers are looking for seasonal "grunt workers".
the tourist season is a big part of maine. the city goes from floods of travelers to utter desolation as soon as the temperature drops. i think its this fairweather-friend type of abandonment that makes the locals kind of surly and socially stunted. oh , they are nice people, but have a short tolerance for those not of their...stock. they are also sort of combative, in general. and i'm sure the responses to this post will prove me right. (oh you know you are, don't act like you're not mildly proud of it)
so if your looking to escape and enjoying keeping to yourself in unforgiving cold, maine is the place for you! (oh, and cut your pay by about 30%). if not, then keep maine your vacationland, that's the way life should be.
You make a few points with a HINT of truth, but you do it in a condescending/ arrogant way. Change your tone if you want any sort of non-aggressive response (I do however, think you're fishing for a battle).
First off, I think "life long" residents of ANY area will have an all around better grasp on their area than any outsider will. I've been in Portland for about 4 years and while i know it well now, I still have no real idea of how it was before I was here except for what I read from the people who HAVE been here.
When I first came to Maine (let it be known that I haven't been here for long and I am looking forward to leaving when I get the chance), I had many of the same sentiments that you apparently do towards this place. I HATED it with a passion. After a little bit of adjusting and trying to keep an open mind, I realized that a lot of the problem was me... not Maine or its residents. Many problems people have when coming to a new place (such as you or I coming to Maine) is that they EXPECT it to be a certain way... when it ISN'T that way, they (or we) expect it to change for us... when THAT doesn't happen, they (or we) get frustrated. This happened to me. I used to joke that Maine was "vacationland" because nobody from outside could stand to visit for more than a week... I was a a$shole. After some adjusting, I learned that in order to enjoy it more, I would need to adapt. It's crazy to expect a place to be exactly how you picture it or to expect people to change. When you move somewhere, you need to adapt to THAT culture. Having done that (to a degree), Portland and Maine in general became a lot more appealing (though not perfect as I still want out) and enjoyable. Not every place is for everyone, but if you keep an open mind, you should be able to enjoy it. I enjoy Portland and I enjoy Maine. The people have been wonderful (even when I was an As$hole) and the experience has been great.
Maine IS detached from the rest of the nation (only states with one or fewer border states are Maine, Hawaii, and Alaska). It's a small state and a sparsely populated one. I've met plenty of people (many of them college educated) who have NEVER left the state; and many more who have left a few times only to find other areas intimidating and overwhelming... they were mostly all great people. Even then... most people I met had traveled a bit and left the state on more than one occasion. Most people on this forum have even lived elsewhere and choose to live in Maine out of love of the state and not fear of the rest of the nation.
Sure, the perception of Maine vs. the rest of the nation is a LITTLE bit skewed by some here (only in Maine have i heard a city the size of Portland referred to as "the big city" or dive bars and pubs referred to as, "clubs", middle income towns and neighborhoods labeled as "rich", etc), but what did you expect? As you stated, Maine is physically isolated from the rest of the nation and very small (population wise) and THAT's what makes many people here love it. It's a beautiful state and the people are wonderful. People choose Maine for the quiet.
Of course it's cold. It's Maine. No one expects it to be temperate or warm in the winter. If they moved here and didn't expect it to be "cold," then they're out of their mind. However... it ISN'T as bad as some midwestern states and just about ALL of Canada. You're the only one I've ever heard from the midwest say that Maine was colder. Weather stats. show that much of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan are colder than Maine... I don't think Portland feels any colder than any of the places I've been in the Midwest or Canada... maybe I just have a weird perception.
You make huge generalizations about anyone who lives in this state and how they all find the outside world, "a big, scary place full of shiny buildings." Yet some of your remarks about Maine show a lack of experience and warped perception of Maine. How can you call Portland's restaurants, "pretentious"?! I've noteably criticized the QUALITY of food here (different subject entirely), but "pretentious" is not a word I think anyone who has experienced real fine dining would EVER pin on ANY Portland establishment. Even the finest restaurants in town are moderately priced and VERY casual and accessible. None of them have dress codes, designer decor, or really anything pretentious about them. I've been to places outside of Maine and gotten in wearing jeans (with a sports coat) and seen the people behind me get asked to leave for not wearing a tie. I've been to places where the maitre'd tells people the wait is over 2 hours then sits the next walk-in immediately. If you think Portland's restaurants are pretentious, then you're in for a surprise when you dine in any even slightly larger urban area.
Also, your generalization about ALL lifelong Mainers being afraid of anything outside of Maine is crazy. I've met some who have ventured out of Maine and PREFER Maine, but very few who are "scared." They, like you and me, have been somewhere else that they didn't fully enjoy. There's nothing wrong with that. Your sweeping generalizations show that YOU are out of touch.
"Combative" Mainers? Never in my experience. "Socially Stuntend?" I've seen instances, but those instances are certainly the minority. They may not fit a social mold that you're used to, but to say that they are "socially stunted" is ignorant and incorrect.
Most everyone who comes here is willing to sacrifice pay for a way of life that they choose. Mainers are welcoming to those who welcome them. Giving respect earns respect and Maine is wonderful that way. It's clear that you don't respect the people here, so why should you expect any respect in return?
If it's a way of life you don't want to live, then don't; but don't hold the state and its people accountable for your inability to adapt.
Last edited by lrfox; 01-23-2009 at 12:19 PM..
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Is that for a family of four, or just an individual?
I'm another Tennessean who's considering moving to Maine (or at least New England). Living here is cheap comparatively, but I hate it. I won't go into all the reasons why, but needless to say, so far the negatives of the Northeast don't hold a candle to my weariness of being in the South. But I won't know for sure until I try it.
