Searching for a good area, inputs please

[DeanGuitarist]

Originally Posted by kevin5098

As of 2015 statistics, Maine had the highest median age of the 50 States. There should be plenty of jobs for cna/lpn here. Have you searched for properties on Zillow or Trulia? We found both of the properties we purchased here online, then contacted a buyers agent for assistance.

Yep, I have those apps on kindle and phone. And the way some houses look, absolute beautiful especially with some rolling hills in area. Not used to it, we're really flatlandahs! We have to travel an hour's north just to het some rolling hills!

[kevin5098]

Originally Posted by Ddhanks

It would be hard to find a job now, since we're in Louisiana. We're looking to basically start our lives over and just look ahead when we get there.

You might be surprised. Indeed.com has quite a few listings for Maine. When we moved to Southern Maine from Aroostook I scored a job on my first application on Indeed. Also check websites for major employers such as Pratt Whitney (Berwick), General Dynamics (Saco and Bath), Smith and Wesson (Houlton) and others. You could find a job that will assist with relocation.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Ddhanks

Thank you. I was thinking that southern Maine may have more opportunities to work.

Southern Maine tends to be more densely populated, with more people they surely have more jobs. Bigger cities will tend to have larger FDs and more residential care facilities.

Come to Maine and play tourist for a week. Drive around and talk to locals. Interview for a few FDs, it can not hurt.

I recommend that when you are ready to make the big move, rent your first year. That gives you a home base of operations, a place to live while you continue to explore the state. It would be a shame to buy somewhere, then to find a better place a year later.

Good luck

[hardtostarboard]

Fellow former Louisiana native here. We've lived in New Orleans, Boulder, Colorado and now a beautiful small town in the Hudson Valley in NY. Will be moving to Camden, Maine next summer (just signed a contract to begin summer of 2018). We could move pretty much anywhere, but we choose Maine. It checks all of our boxes. We love everything about it. I hope you two find all the happiness you're looking for.

[LilyMae521]

cnatips.com has cna training programs listed for each state, there are several in Maine. (I think your wife would need to get recertified in Maine) I know also that the Maine university system has RN, and I think LPN programs. Sometimes if one is working as a CNA, the employer will help pay tuition fees for a nursing program

[quietnights]

According to the Maine Board of Nursing, there are no approved LPN educational programs in Maine (LPN Nursing Programs: Education: Maine State Board of Nursing). CNA programs are relatively easy to find by contacting nursing/residential homes in an area you might be interested in.

If you want to be in southern Maine but want to be out of the city, it sounds like you'd want to look in southwestern Maine. With your criteria though and desire for affordable housing with acreage, you're going to want to stay away from the coast. If I was in your shoes, I would be looking north of Bangor. It's gorgeous up there with a much lower population density. You can easily be in rural Maine but still within work commuting/shopping distance from Bangor if needed.

I concur totally with Submariner's suggestion about renting for a year to get the feel and experience of the seasons and the lay of the land.

[Brodels]

Bangor has a larger healthcare infrastructure than could be expected for a city of its size because of its regional role, so there are lots of opportunities for medical professionals in the city. You don't need to travel far from Bangor to find rural living and affordable real estate.

Southern Maine has its advantages, but if you are looking for healthcare jobs in a rural environment, Greater Bangor may be a good choice.

[DeanGuitarist]

Thank you all for the replies. You've offered a wealth of info. As Submariner stated, we'll more than likely rent the first year or so and shop around for towns.

I just can't WAIT to call Maine home.

[maineguy8888]

Southern Maine is booming, especially along the coast.
You can live ten or twenty miles inland and work right along the coast somewhere for excellent pay. (It's really expensive to live right near the coast).
There are a few other pockets of Maine that are also booming: Sebago Lake area, Bar Harbor area, Rockland. You can live close to those pockets and find a job no problem.

[quietnights]

I wouldn't say that the Rockland area is booming with jobs. The surge is summer seasonal retail and hotels, like many coastal areas north and south of Portland. There are good jobs available in healthcare via MaineHealth's Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport and associated medical offices. I'd be hard pressed to think of big new businesses that have moved to the area to consider the job market booming in this area.

I can't speak to Bar Harbor or Sebago Lake, but certainly both rely heavily on the summer tourist trade.