Why Does Northern Maine Feel So Different Than The Rest Of The Northeast? (Portland: insurance, lawyer)

[mikeandaija2009]

Unfortunate these things have to happen. Northern Maine was always the only place left that time hadn't damaged, God willing it stays that way. My wife and I lived in NH/VT border for a year back in 2014, and that was an eye opener. I was familiar with the area after having friends and family attend Dartmouth many moons ago, very different back then. Now in that area, EVERYONE was from Massachusetts at on point in their lives and Bernie is a folk hero.

Our biggest fear is the change will follow us. We have taken advantage of my wife job and my ability to work from home, to relocate a few times over the past couple decades. We are all, sons included, getting older and this next move hopefully will be the last. For us, it needs to be a near perfect spot, but again with Maine ever changing...we are starting to have our doubts.

Whats next? Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah? All very flat, lol, but told never changing. Five years in Florida cooked me, so we've had a lifetime of heat and humidity!

[maineguy8888]

I will say that if ANY place is not going to change much, it's the County.
Leaving the County was called "going outside" up until the early 1900s.
It is a very special place, in ways I can't really describe. It's "old Maine".

(I have lived in the Boston area, in western PA, and in the Portland, Maine area. Southern Maine is now Massachusetts North........which includes being extremely liberal. A "nice place to visit", but I would never live there again.)

[GraniteStater]

Northern Maine has some of the rugged individualism and toughness found in some of the more remote agrarian regions of the Upper Midwest. The major difference is that Aroostook County has an even shorter growing season in some cases, so crops can be more limited to: potatoes, canola, or sugar beets perhaps. The other reason that northern Maine feels different compared to other rural areas of New England that are "less rural" are far less seasonal properties owned by people from away that artificially inflates property values- that has happened in many places, without much of a corresponding uptick in employment growth. I have studied Carroll County, NH demographic changes for a long period of time, and the greater influx of retirees and growth of more seasonal properties and real estate has not resulted in a large-scale growth in non-farm employment as a whole at the county level. I think Carroll County had around 18,500-19,000 total jobs in 2010, now they have less than 17,000 jobs. However, the county population is less than 50,000 with a high percentage of those not in labor force due to the very high median age- even compared to every county in Maine other than Piscataquis or Lincoln.

[maineguy8888]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Northern Maine has some of the rugged individualism and toughness found in some of the more remote agrarian regions of the Upper Midwest. The major difference is that Aroostook County has an even shorter growing season in some cases, so crops can be more limited to: potatoes, canola, or sugar beets perhaps. The other reason that northern Maine feels different compared to other rural areas of New England that are "less rural" are far less seasonal properties owned by people from away that artificially inflates property values- that has happened in many places, without much of a corresponding uptick in employment growth. I have studied Carroll County, NH demographic changes for a long period of time, and the greater influx of retirees and growth of more seasonal properties and real estate has not resulted in a large-scale growth in non-farm employment as a whole at the county level. I think Carroll County had around 18,500-19,000 total jobs in 2010, now they have less than 17,000 jobs. However, the county population is less than 50,000 with a high percentage of those not in labor force due to the very high median age- even compared to every county in Maine other than Piscataquis or Lincoln.

You forgot broccoli (and a little cauliflower). At least 20,000 acres of it now.

You are correct about seasonal places. Not many people from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, or New Jersey want to drive 8-12 hours to get to camp. So most camps are locally owned. (Interestingly, most of the seasonal properties that are bought by people who don’t live locally are bought for winter fun.....mostly snowmobiling. Their properties are not lakeside, usually, but they are near the ITS trails. The County is a top 5 destination in North America for snowmobilers).

[Reflexion]

Outdoor Lover, the student from Africa got it right in my opinion. Right around January and February seem like the "dark days" of winter to me. Love that first snowfall in late fall and early winter, then I'm yearning for the call of the red winged blackbird in spring.

[Reflexion]

Mike and Aija, when you find that "magic" place, let us know.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

In Maine the land is different; the people are different, and the weather is different. As somebody said a while back, "Ain't no anything like this place anywhere near this place. Gotta be the place."

[slyfox2]

Maine is really part of Canada. Its on semi permanent loan from Canada, and the Canadians just forgot about the deal.
They should really have a passport check in Portsmouth.

[mainebrokerman]

from maine tourism site

Did you know ...?
The League of American Cyclists has ranked Maine, including Aroostook County, as one of the top 10 most bike-friendly states in the country.
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail extends more than 700 miles, beginning in Old Forge, New York and ending in the Aroostook town of Fort Kent.
Geographically, Aroostook County is the largest county east of the Mississippi—larger than the States of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined.
Named from a Native American word meaning “Beautiful River”, Aroostook County is home to the Mi'kmaq and Maliseet tribes.

tourists do come to the 'county"

The Aroostook County Regional Tourism Impact Estimates show that roughly 1.4 million people who do not currently live in the area visited in 2017, the same number as 2016. Those visitors spent an average of $155 million on local products and services such as retail shopping, lodging, gas and fuel and restaurants, which brought $53.3 million to the region’s economy and $14.3 million in total taxes.


overall maine tourism

Maine keeps attracting visitors in steadily growing numbers – nearly 36 million. Tourism is one of Maine’s largest industries, employing about 106,000 people, or one out of every six jobs in the state. The total economic impact is estimated at $9 billion,

36 million tourists a year come to maine…..majority may be day trippers ..

[gt87]

Just curious. What about Bangor? Its situated right in the middle of the state. Does it have more in common with Portland (southern part of the state) or the more northern areas of the state? I've never been to Maine and really have no desire to visit any other parts of New England but Maine has always interested me.