Older folks who have retired to Maine from elsewhere (Bangor: to live in, move)

[Northern Maine Land Man]

The FBI says that Maine is he safest state. Domestic violence is a big problem, but it affects most people only by reading it in the paper.

[Rhapsodie2014]

I have not read this blog yet....planning to......but curiously: obviously for someone to move further up in Maine (downeast is proper term??), they must love the cold, snow, isolation etc...........different than those who would chose around Portland or So. Maine....

What differentiates those types from someone wanting move to Alaska from lower 48 ??

I know my own answer, as I used to live in MA and spent actually more time in NH than Maine.....have much to learn about ME....

But say you are coming from non-New England or Northeast state.....somewhere warmer....why Maine as opposed to Alaska??

One type of rural, rugged and cold vs. another??

I have heard that Alaska can be dangerous.....Maine is supposed to be safest State......what else??

[maineguy8888]

I have never been to Alaska, but I imagine it must be similar in many ways to Maine. But it seems that everything about Alaska is Maine x two. Alaska's obviously much bigger, more remote, more wilderness, more mountains, more darkness and then sun, more wildlife, more snow and cold, and even a bigger city (Anchorage). I like to think that I'm getting a taste of the Alaska experience, just by living in Maine....lol
As for northern Maine, we are right next door to another country, which is neat. And it's not exactly empty here: there are 125,000 people within an hour of where I live. Compared to the old days, when leaving Aroostook was called "going outside", we are not remote at all. You can get from Houlton to Bangor in an hour and a half, which is about how long it takes to get across some big metropolitan areas during rush hour.
I think of western, downeast and northern Maine as "old Maine".......the Maine of the 1940s, 50s and 60s. It hasn't changed much. And it's really different from most places.

[Rhapsodie2014]

Thank you for response, without being there and experiencing first hand....internet can only go so far.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Rhapsodie2014

...
But say you are coming from non-New England or Northeast state.....somewhere warmer....why Maine as opposed to Alaska??

One type of rural, rugged and cold vs. another??

During my career, I spent a few years in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea; and I have seen a good deal of the Alaskan shore line [though mostly viewed through a periscope].

In deciding where to migrate after I retired; Alaska was high on my list. Maine won the coin toss.

[Tenebrae]

In my considerations for a "cooler" environment to retire in, Alaska never crossed my mind. It strikes me as being so much more remote. I'd have to either fly, or drive through another country to get to the rest of the states. Maine, on the other hand, has some relatively easy connections to cities like Boston. It's very tempting to have that at your "fingertips".

-T.

[WoodyWW]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

Where I am in Western/Southern New England (Western Mass) we pay $3600 and counting on a $200K older house with 2/3 acre. That is not counting town water and sewer and the tax on both of those. You might as well say something like $4,000+. We are retired and although we love schools, our taxes go to a town budget that has a pie slice of 66% for the schools. For retirees (or for anyone, for that matter), that ratio is way out of line.

I don't know how we'd fare property tax-wise in Maine. I'm hoping there aren't hidden taxes like there are here in Mass. (excise tax on vehicles is really really high here, for ex). I think Maine does not tax SS or military pensions. Not sure whether Maine has a tax on groceries and clothing. (The break we do get in Mass. is no tax on SS, groceries and clothes).

I live in a "nice" town about 20 miles from Boston. In a "tear-down" quality run-down little Cape-on-a-slab. My taxes have doubled since I bought it in 1998 to about $7800 now. $3800 back then, seemed totally reasonable. But this is insane. (no one forces me to stay here of course).

In all of my house-hunting trips to Maine, I've seen a huge variation in property taxes by town. I've been looking mainly in the $350K-ish range. In Kennebunk, property taxes on a property in that price range might be $4200. In Wells, maybe half that, $2200. Saco, expensive, maybe almost $6K. So you just need to check it out town by town.

Other taxes, ditto. I think Maine has sales tax on clothes, but how many new clothes do you buy? Groceries, are not taxed in Maine so I've read. Except for "Prepared foods". Excise tax on vehicles--yes they have it in ME too. It declines year by year as your vehicle ages like it does in Mass. I pay (in Mass.) about $100/yr. on my 14 y.o. car.

There is sales tax in Maine on: "Alcohol, all varieties". Yikes! Taxing a man's (or woman's) booze? How else are we supposed to get thru N.E. Winters?

[RiverBird]

Originally Posted by WoodyWW

I live in a "nice" town about 20 miles from Boston. In a "tear-down" quality run-down little Cape-on-a-slab. My taxes have doubled since I bought it in 1998 to about $7800 now. $3800 back then, seemed totally reasonable. But this is insane. (no one forces me to stay here of course).

IMO, that is just insane, and if we stay where we are in this state ours will be about that amount by the time we are 72. Just ridiculous, considering cities and towns in other parts of the country can afford to pay for municipal services, personnel, and pensions on way, way, way less from taxpayers. Taxes like these will see us moving in a few years.

In all of my house-hunting trips to Maine, I've seen a huge variation in property taxes by town. I've been looking mainly in the $350K-ish range. In Kennebunk, property taxes on a property in that price range might be $4200. In Wells, maybe half that, $2200. Saco, expensive, maybe almost $6K. So you just need to check it out town by town.

Yes, where there is more of a business base, homeowner property tax will be less. Suburban communities will soak (bleed?) homeowners.


Other taxes, ditto. I think Maine has sales tax on clothes, but how many new clothes do you buy? Groceries, are not taxed in Maine so I've read. Except for "Prepared foods". Excise tax on vehicles--yes they have it in ME too. It declines year by year as your vehicle ages like it does in Mass. I pay (in Mass.) about $100/yr. on my 14 y.o. car.

I"m not worried about sales tax, except on groceries, as we hardly buy anything and in Mass. we wait till the tax-free days to buy an appliance. It's property tax that's difficult for modestly retired folks.

There is sales tax in Maine on: "Alcohol, all varieties". Yikes! Taxing a man's (or woman's) booze? How else are we supposed to get thru N.E. Winters?

Moonshine, lol.

When are you moving to Maine, and do you know where?

[Loro]

We currently live in NJ and have been looking for the perfect place to retire for several years. The process has been great fun thus far. We are looking in ME NH and N MA near the coast. We would like to be a town that Zhang beautiful scenery, interesting old architecture, friendly people we also want it to be able to have the amenities that we will need as we get older like good doctors and a hospital. We were in ME last fall and some towns had, I noticed a lot of Trump signs. While we are democrats and prefer to live in a more liberal place, we have many republican friends. We can't however live in a place that has a majority that would support someone like Trump and likely we wouldn't make friends very easily in a place like that either. I would welcome any insights as we prepare for another few days up N. we are looking at Falmouth Yarmouth Freeport Edgecomb Kittery York Kennebunk Kennebunkport. Feedback to those who have made the move or are from these areas really appreciated.

[Maineac]

Originally Posted by Loro

We currently live in NJ and have been looking for the perfect place to retire for several years. The process has been great fun thus far. We are looking in ME NH and N MA near the coast. We would like to be a town that Zhang beautiful scenery, interesting old architecture, friendly people we also want it to be able to have the amenities that we will need as we get older like good doctors and a hospital. We were in ME last fall and some towns had, I noticed a lot of Trump signs. While we are democrats and prefer to live in a more liberal place, we have many republican friends. We can't however live in a place that has a majority that would support someone like Trump and likely we wouldn't make friends very easily in a place like that either. I would welcome any insights as we prepare for another few days up N. we are looking at Falmouth Yarmouth Freeport Edgecomb Kittery York Kennebunk Kennebunkport. Feedback to those who have made the move or are from these areas really appreciated.

You'd like the Belfast area, and it would be considerably cheaper than the other towns on your list. I sincerely believe the majority of Mainers I grew up with, with a few notable exceptions, think along the lines you do. Yankee traders that aren't easily misled by a line of bunk.