Honeymooned in Boothbay 20 years ago and agreed we would retire to Maine...Nervous (Machias: real estate, rent)
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I receive the Made in Maine box every three months and included along with all the goodies is Down East Magazine. Mostly advertising but I don't mind. But I noticed there were a lot of retirement communities up and down the coast. Is Maine really a destination for retired people? Seems like (depending on where they live) it seems odd. Maine has cold and snowy winters and people who live in that climate want to move some place warmer. It must be since there are quite a few. We have quite a few years before we retire. The ads all looked nice. Different amenities etc.,
A few of our retired friends go away for a month or two in the coldest part of winter, but most stay here. They're doing more of all the things they did in winter before retiring. More skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, hunting, dining out, etc.
I receive the Made in Maine box every three months and included along with all the goodies is Down East Magazine. Mostly advertising but I don't mind. But I noticed there were a lot of retirement communities up and down the coast. Is Maine really a destination for retired people? Seems like (depending on where they live) it seems odd. Maine has cold and snowy winters and people who live in that climate want to move some place warmer. It must be since there are quite a few. We have quite a few years before we retire. The ads all looked nice. Different amenities etc.,
Not sure if that is something the OP would want.
To me there are lots of differences between Boothbay Harbor and Hodgdon. Which one is a better choice is a matter of personal preference. You may want to be aware of LifeFlight when living in a rural area where you could be far from the healthcare you need. You can google to find that there are lots of senior citizens in Maine. A considerable number of people who live in Maine all their lives decide to try the snowbird life once retired as long as their health allows the travel. As someone else mentioned, a winter trip to a warmer climate could be a month or two or longer. I know people who do 6 months in FL and 6 months in ME.
... I receive the Made in Maine box every three months and included along with all the goodies is Down East Magazine.
I am not familiar with that kind of a box.
I see DownEast magazines mostly in healthcare waiting rooms.
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... Is Maine really a destination for retired people?
Yes.
About once a year the Bangor Daily News will publish an article where someone does a deep dive into US Census data, to describe migratory patterns.
Maine has two primary migrations happening. Young adults want careers so they leave Maine seeking their fortunes, and retirees migrate back to Maine for the lifestyle. These two migrations happen at the same time, and effectively equal each other, so our total population stays the same.
Maine has an older population than any other state.
Florida puts more money into marketing to make it appear as if they were a better destination for us retirees.
However Florida actually ranks 7th in terms of the percentage of elderly people living there, the state projects a really good illusion. From their illusion, you would think that Florida must be in the top three at least.
Quote:
... Maine has cold and snowy winters and people who live in that climate want to move some place warmer.
Do they?
Quote:
... The ads all looked nice. Different amenities etc.,
When I have flipped through the pages of that magazine, what I have seen are mostly ads for the coastal tourist towns. Extremely expensive stuff.
Frankly, as I get older my tolerance for heat (and especially, heat & humidity) has decreased. I find myself locking myself inside on those hideous Summer days. If I could easily move to Maine, I would. Hell, if I could move to Quebec, I would do that. Moving to a place with the climate of Florida would be like Hell for me. So, no, everyone does not want to move somewhere warm as they age. Some do, but plenty do not.
Frankly, as I get older my tolerance for heat (and especially, heat & humidity) has decreased. I find myself locking myself inside on those hideous Summer days. If I could easily move to Maine, I would. Hell, if I could move to Quebec, I would do that. Moving to a place with the climate of Florida would be like Hell for me. So, no, everyone does not want to move somewhere warm as they age. Some do, but plenty do not.
After 68 and 70 Maine winters DH and I feel the same about enduring windy, foggy, gray, cold days. Maine seems to have an endless supply. We find 6-7 months in a southern clime with summers on our Maine lake the perfect fit for us. Of course there will come the day when we can no longer travel back and forth. Not ready to make a prediction yet but warm, dry sidewalks seem a safer bet.
When I have flipped through the pages of that magazine, what I have seen are mostly ads for the coastal tourist towns. Extremely expensive stuff.
Downeast Magazine seems more geared towards wealthy people from away and the Midcoast glitz. Not the average person like myself on a limited income. Once in a blue moon they'll have a great story about Maine lifers, old-timers. Or about a small Downeast town. I think newspapers The Quoddy Tides or Machias Valley News give you a better insight.
As someone who has family in WV since 1900 I take offense to the above. May be it's you, not them? Please explain why at least. The media loves to paint West Virginians as ignorant Hillbillies, which is allowed but still racism in my book. And I wouldn't fly a Phillies fly in Maine either.
I have spent a great deal of time in West by God Virginia over the course of my almost 70 years (I was in Bluefield 2 weeks ago) and have some wonderful friends there. I have never had any issues and have traveled the state extensively. I suppose there are bad apples everywhere. Oh yeah, don't confuse a southern drawl with stupidity.
As someone who has family in WV since 1900 I take offense to the above. May be it's you, not them? Please explain why at least. The media loves to paint West Virginians as ignorant Hillbillies, which is allowed but still racism in my book. And I wouldn't fly a Phillies fly in Maine either.
I know there are good people in West Virginia, and it’s a beautiful state, but to deny that there are some very scary, backward and ignorant people there is foolish.
I know there are good people in West Virginia, and it’s a beautiful state, but to deny that there are some very scary, backward and ignorant people there is foolish.
There are scary, backward, ignorant people right here in Maine, We even have some ghetto's, see Portland and Lewiston just to name a two.
What's your point?
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