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Hi, yes I have 2 kids... twin boys 12 years old in 6th grade. How are the schools out there? Over here they go from K-8 and 9-12, but when I was younger it was more common for schools to be k-6 then 7-8 and then 9-12. Did you put any children through high school there where you could tell me what you thought of it?
I recently read something that said Maine has the lowest percentage of people under the age of 18 and it got me a little leery of planting my kids there if they dont stand to make many friends. They have alot of friends here, there are alot of families and kids and I dont want to uproot them and have them hate me... so maybe I need to save Maine for retirement like so many others?
I do need to visit and see, but still a visit can only reveal so much, thought I could get some insight from those that live there so I can plan the visit accordingly.
Thanks for the info and the new area to look into.
It's a good thing that this sort of forum can exist so you can learn about places you have never been and to which you will likely never go.
If you did move to Maine, what would you do to support yourself? You mention that you have two sixth grade boys, so should one assume that you are living on alimony, child support, welfare. Or perhaps all of it?
If that is so, then perhaps you have read about Maine's liberal welfare plans and health care support? Is that what interested you to begin with?
Maine is a tough place to make a living. Since you are a life long resident of Phoenix it seems unlikely that you would even think of trying to make a change from that sort of climate and culture to one that is so small, cold and limited as a rural state like Maine. The statistic about age demographics in Maine is real: most young people leave Maine for other states because there are few jobs and growth opportunities in Maine are limited to those with education and advanced skills.
Maine is attractive to many people who are retired. The reason for this is that in many parts of Maine the property taxes are very low since there are few if any municipal services to drive property taxes upward. This also means that there is little economic opportunity either. But if you did move to Maine, your children would have no difficulty making friends because while Maine's youthful population is declining, there still are children and we do have schools. But if you are concerned about whether or not your children will have enough playmates and that is a deciding factor for you in thinking about moving, I suspect that you have NO intention of moving or visiting Maine at all: unless you have something that you would do to support yourself, or you are independantly wealthy, regardless of the number of chums you could find for your kids, you wouldn't make the move.
I don't know if you are aware of this but Arizona and Maine are a bit alike in that both are largely rural states. But that is where the similarity ends. Arizona has about four times as many people living in it as Maine does. Metropolitan Phoenix has roughly eight times the population of Maine's largest Metropolitan area, Portland. EIGHT times. What this means is that while we have metropolitan Portland with around 500,000 or so people in living in a circle that is about fifty miles in diameter, the rest of Maine's 1.3 million people are scattered out over a very large area with only three other cities having more than 25,000 population. This means that there are lots of very little towns....towns with a thousand or two of population. A great place to raise a family because crime is very, very low, and one must spend a lot of attention on one's children because there isn't much else to do....but a lousy place to make a living to support those same children.
Perhaps one day you will come and visit. I hope so, and that in your visit you will plan on spending a lot of time to see Maine as it is, in all its varieties. As a place to live I consider Maine to compare exceedingly well with anywhere else. But I also see many, many advantages to living in an area that is representative of the majority of America, which is largely metropolitan and uban in structure.
It's a good thing that this sort of forum can exist so you can learn about places you have never been and to which you will likely never go.
If you did move to Maine, what would you do to support yourself? You mention that you have two sixth grade boys, so should one assume that you are living on alimony, child support, welfare. Or perhaps all of it?
If that is so, then perhaps you have read about Maine's liberal welfare plans and health care support? Is that what interested you to begin with?
Maine is a tough place to make a living. Since you are a life long resident of Phoenix it seems unlikely that you would even think of trying to make a change from that sort of climate and culture to one that is so small, cold and limited as a rural state like Maine. The statistic about age demographics in Maine is real: most young people leave Maine for other states because there are few jobs and growth opportunities in Maine are limited to those with education and advanced skills.
Maine is attractive to many people who are retired. The reason for this is that in many parts of Maine the property taxes are very low since there are few if any municipal services to drive property taxes upward. This also means that there is little economic opportunity either. But if you did move to Maine, your children would have no difficulty making friends because while Maine's youthful population is declining, there still are children and we do have schools. But if you are concerned about whether or not your children will have enough playmates and that is a deciding factor for you in thinking about moving, I suspect that you have NO intention of moving or visiting Maine at all: unless you have something that you would do to support yourself, or you are independantly wealthy, regardless of the number of chums you could find for your kids, you wouldn't make the move.
I don't know if you are aware of this but Arizona and Maine are a bit alike in that both are largely rural states. But that is where the similarity ends. Arizona has about four times as many people living in it as Maine does. Metropolitan Phoenix has roughly eight times the population of Maine's largest Metropolitan area, Portland. EIGHT times. What this means is that while we have metropolitan Portland with around 500,000 or so people in living in a circle that is about fifty miles in diameter, the rest of Maine's 1.3 million people are scattered out over a very large area with only three other cities having more than 25,000 population. This means that there are lots of very little towns....towns with a thousand or two of population. A great place to raise a family because crime is very, very low, and one must spend a lot of attention on one's children because there isn't much else to do....but a lousy place to make a living to support those same children.
Perhaps one day you will come and visit. I hope so, and that in your visit you will plan on spending a lot of time to see Maine as it is, in all its varieties. As a place to live I consider Maine to compare exceedingly well with anywhere else. But I also see many, many advantages to living in an area that is representative of the majority of America, which is largely metropolitan and uban in structure.
Umm, wow... we had conversed before and I stated I am currently employed, and can live anywhere I choose. My work is in cyberspace and involves monitoring busy national websites as well as programming new features. I can do this from anywhere and since this is the case, I am seeking a higher quality of life than what Phoenix offers.
I know NOTHING of Maine's liberal welfare system, and as the male head of the household, I do not receive child support, allimony or palimony either.
No... making "chums" for the kids is not the primary deciding factor, but if I were to say to them, "don't worry, you will make new friends," I wouldnt want to be lying. I questioned the truthfulness of saying that to them when I read a statistic that it has the lowest percentage of people under 18.
You can go on "suspecting" whatever you like about the reality of whether I will move or not or where that move will be. I can tell you this much...
I am not turned off by the economy as I am independently employed and my income remains the same no matter where I live. I am not turned off by cold weather at this point in my life. Perhaps after a lifetime of harsh winters, I may decide its not for me, but as of now, its a non-factor. In Phx, we spend the opposite time of the year cooped up in our homes. In either place, we are living in improved housing with heat or AC, and dont really have to deal with the weather but for the times you run to your heated or air conditioned car. Since my work is indoor at home, I also dont have to interact with it via commuting to work in icy conditions, or scraping my windshield every morning.
Phoenix is a big mirage since it may be "technically" a large city, but in reality it lives like any average city. Its really just an enormous land mass filled with carbon copies of corporate chains that all sell the same redundant items. I dont need to have 5 grocery stores to choose from, or 3 super walmarts within 10 minutes. I find myself going to the same stores regardless of all my "options". The words "culture" and "phoenix" completely contradict one another. I would relish living in a place that is more resistant to corporate takeover, and for me, this is part of the appeal of Maine as well as the crisp environment.
You have alot of information to offer Acadialion, but have assumed quite a bit about me that is completely off base. I am interested in truthful, realistic information based on my personal situation, so I can have some direction. I am determined to leave Phx but unsure where to go. But where-ever that may be, the welfare programs are not even .00001 percent of a factor.
Here are a couple of links that can give you some glint into life in Bangor.
I thought I had posted them before, but I forget where I posted what frequently.
At any rate, I don't think your kids would have much of a problem finding friends and things to do. Additionally to Bangor, there are outlying areas that have strong recreation programs. Most of the suburbs have strong parental involvement in various programs and support of schools IMHO.
My work is in cyberspace . . . . I can do this from anywhere
Don't you mean from anywhere there is a high-speed internet connection?
(I am also planning to move to a northern coastal location, and Maine is my first choice. I too have my own business that I conduct over the internet and telephone.)
Don't you mean from anywhere there is a high-speed internet connection?
(I am also planning to move to a northern coastal location, and Maine is my first choice. I too have my own business that I conduct over the internet and telephone.)
Yes, exactly... My original post that I had written in a different thread had listed the high speed internet criteria. I had even said I was employed and not relying on the local economy in that post as well. This thread was more about Portland vs. Bangor, but I sure got a mouthful for asking if my kids would find friends!
All of a sudden, I became a welfare leeching, alimony, palimony, child support collecting dreamer... it took me a bit off guard, lol, but no hard feelings. I bet it gets old answering the same questions all the time for good ol' acadianlion.
Yes, exactly... My original post that I had written in a different thread had listed the high speed internet criteria. I had even said I was employed and not relying on the local economy in that post as well. This thread was more about Portland vs. Bangor, but I sure got a mouthful for asking if my kids would find friends!
All of a sudden, I became a welfare leeching, alimony, palimony, child support collecting dreamer... it took me a bit off guard, lol, but no hard feelings. I bet it gets old answering the same questions all the time for good ol' acadianlion.
Are you aware of the taxes in Maine? The income tax is outrageously high for such a rural state.
They recently made some changes, reducing the income tax rate a couple percent or so, while imposing sales tax on additional items to make up for it.
Before they reduced the income tax rate, it was as high or higher than the state income tax I'm paying here in New York City.
Here in NYC, I pay about $1,000 a month for my Blue Cross HMO for just me. Can you imagine?
I remember paying something like $50 a month around 1970.
My coverage has just about doubled in the last seven years.
Do you know if medical insurance is considerably less costly in Maine?
My wife gets coverage for the family through her job. She contributes about $300 a month and the company picks up the rest. It's good coverage, includes dental and drugs and is quite reasonable. I'm sure we'll get nailed when the Health Care bill passes. She'll probably get taxed 40% for her coverage to "spread the pain" as her plan may be considered a "Cadillac" plan. As for individual coverage in Maine from what my friends pay it seems like you're not far off from what they're paying. It isn't much cheaper here if at all. The Health Care bill will bankrupt this country.
I have no clue about this whole heating oil thing. I'm only familiar with natural gas and electric heat.
Does every apartment unit have its own tank? Where is it? How often do you have to fill it? Are there competing oil companies or just one per city? Does it have an odor?
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