The Best Places to Live in Maine

Cross into the state of Maine on virtually any highway and you’ll come to a welcome sign that proudly displays the state slogan: “The Way Life Should Be.”

At first, that might sound like a pretty lofty goal to live up to. But once you see more of Maine—the rocky coastline, the wooded forests, the majestic mountains—and breathe the crisp, fresh air, you may start to agree that state slogan isn’t too far off.

If you’re reading this article, we’re guessing you might be in the market to move to the Pine Tree State for some of that good life. So whether you’re looking for a safe place for your family to grow or are a retiree craving some peace and quiet, it’s likely you’ll find a fit on our list of the best places to live in Maine.

An Overview of the Pine Tree State

Maine might tout itself as “the way life should be,” but what is that life exactly? Well, it’s a life filled with outdoor adventure, charming small towns, and a slower pace of life. So you pretty much need to be okay with all three to really thrive there.

The state’s 1.4 million residents are spread out all over the state’s 31,000 square miles, making even Maine’s largest cities look like small towns when compared to cities in states like California, Texas or even Florida.¹ Most Mainers (or Maine-iacs?) are concentrated in the southeast part of the state, so that region feels more developed—perfect for city dwellers. The northern and western areas are ideal for more rugged folks who want to settle on big plots of land for a more remote, rural lifestyle.

When it comes to living in Maine, there are both high and low points. For one thing, the Pine Tree State is the safest state in the entire union, with super low levels of violent and property crime.² The public schools are highly rated. It’s also the most affordable state in all New England.

However, the cost of living is still pretty high when compared to the national average (Maine is often high on many “most expensive states” lists).³ So be prepared for relatively higher housing and transportation expenses (though grocery and health care costs are comparable).

But most Mainers enjoy the outdoors. They’re literally surrounded by woods and ocean, so you’ll never be too far away from anything outdoorsy if you move there. There’s something for everyone: hiking, boating, fishing, camping, skiing, snowmobiling, and more. And the food is also tied to the state’s environment. Maine is famous for the lobster and clams caught fresh off its coast, as well as the wild Maine blueberries that grow everywhere—even on hiking trails and near the beaches!

Another fact of life in Maine is the harsh winter. Maine sits on the northeast corner of the continental U.S. and is further north than some parts of Canada! So Maine experiences four months of really cold weather. If you’re not into the cold, Maine might not be the right place for you.

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The winters may be brutal, but the summers are beautiful . . . and with the summer comes the busy tourist season. That also has its good and not-so-good points. Since many of Maine’s towns (especially on the coast) rely on tourists, a lot of the jobs are seasonal. And while you can expect populations in those resort towns to explode in the summer, they become ghost towns in the winter.

The Best Places to Live in Maine

When it comes to “best places,” Maine has lots of them—both in the city and out in the country. But before we dive in, let’s get one thing straight: All “best places” lists are subjective, including this one. While we did use some data points, the best place for you depends on your personal likes and dislikes. Luckily, Maine has a nice variety of places to live that can suit all tastes and lifestyles. And to add a little more authenticity to our list, we consulted a few former Mainers who gave us some local insights based on their personal experience.

As we’ve previously touched on, some Mainers like the more urban small-town life, others go for the rural, cabin-in-the-woods kind. And still more Mainers split the difference and live in the rural communities that surround a city to take advantage of the conveniences. That’s why we’ll also be listing some of the smaller towns near the “best places” we’re highlighting.

Bangor

Though it has its own history dating back to the 1700s, the city of Bangor (pronounced “bang-gor”) is famous as the home of legendary novelist Stephen King. Yep, the guy responsible for Carrie, Stand by Me, and The Shining based the fictional town of Derry on Bangor. He even incorporated specific landmarks into his books (like the giant statue of Paul Bunyan from It—it’s real!). The town has fully embraced its famous resident with King-inspired decorations and city tours.

But there’s more to Bangor than creepy clowns and undead cats. Originally established as the lumber capital of the world (Boston was said to have been built by Bangor lumber), the city’s largest industry today is health care.⁴ Bangor is also the third-largest city in Maine and boasts its own international airport, as well as big local events like the Bangor State Fair and the Sidewalk Art Festival. And during the summer, the Penobscot River on the city’s southern edge is a great backdrop for fun water-based recreation.

Metro Area Population*	153,7045
Median Household Income	$52,4386
Median Home Price	$274,9507
Median Monthly Rent**	$1,4008
Average Annual Rainfall	44”9
Unemployment Rate	3%10

^{*The metro area population numbers include the citytogether with the surrounding urban and suburban areas.
**Rent data for Bangor is based on a general median.}

Towns Near Bangor

Brewer
Carmel
Hampden
Orono
Veazie

Bar Harbor

About an hour east of Bangor is the beautiful seaside town of Bar Harbor. Located on Mount Desert Island, Bar Harbor is a town made for the Maine tourism industry, with a quaint downtown area and lots of activities geared toward visitors. Lots of folks have vacation homes there. Bar Harbor also shares the island with Acadia National Park—one of the most visited national parks in the country and a showcase of the area’s stunning natural beauty.

It comes as no surprise that Bar Harbor’s top industry is tourism, with Acadia being its primary attraction.¹¹ Other industries include scientific research and health care (at the Jackson Laboratory and MDI Biological Laboratory, among others). Bar Harbor also hosts the annual Acadia Festival and Bar Harbor Music Festival. But all the great scenery and seaside living comes at a steep price. Because of the expense of living there, many people work in Bar Harbor and live in surrounding towns that are cheaper.

Population*	2,15412
Median Household Income	$67,04513
Median Home Price	$695,00014
Median Monthly Rent**	$4,20015
Average Annual Rainfall	48”16
Unemployment Rate***	3.5%17

^{*Bar Harbor isn’t part of a metro area, so the population of the city itself was used.
**Rent data for Bangor is based on a general median.
***Unemployment rate includes all of Hancock County.}

Towns Near Bar Harbor

Ellsworth
Hancock
Lamoine
Sorrento
Trenton

Belfast

Though it’s set in a beautiful spot on the Maine coast where the Passagassawakeag River (that’s a mouthful!) empties into Belfast Harbor, the residents of Belfast don’t think of themselves as a mere tourist town. Community is the name of the game there. It’s a town that prides itself on close-knit connections to neighbors and businesses. In fact, during the COVID-19 shutdown in 2020, residents made a point to patronize each local restaurant once a week to keep everyone afloat. Those are some nice neighbors!

Community also extends to all the things to see and do in Belfast. The town is famous for its year-round festival schedule—from the Belfast Street Party in the summer to the Ice Festival in the winter. Many of the festivals revolve around Belfast’s reputation as an arts and culture hub in Maine. Belfast was settled in the 1700s and named for the capital of Northern Ireland, sharing its namesake’s status as a shipbuilding center. Today, the town also includes industries like manufacturing, finance, health care and education.¹⁸

Population*	6,95319
Median Household Income	$53,92520
Median Home Price	$480,00021
Median Monthly Rent**	$1,90022
Average Annual Rainfall	46”23
Unemployment Rate	9%24

^{*Belfast isn’t part of a metro area,so the population of the city itself was used.
**Rent data for Belfast is based on a general median.}

Towns Near Belfast

Belmont
Morill
Northport
Searsmont
Searsport

Farmington

Like many of the towns in Maine, Farmington has connections to the old world and new world. Founded in 1794, the town got its name from the area’s fertile soil provided by the nearby Sandy River—soil that still supports many farms around the town to this day. The downtown district is full of historic buildings dating back a century or more, containing trendy shops and restaurants. Those hip businesses attract the youthful energy of the students at the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF).

It seems like just about every town has a claim to fame, and Farmington has one of the most unique. Every December, Farmington hosts Chester Greenwood Day—a charming community festival honoring the man who invented earmuffs . . . at age 15 (talk about entrepreneurship!) Farmington is also famous for having the largest solar energy farm in New England, which powers close to 17,000 homes in the region. Outdoor recreation is big in Farmington too, particularly skiing on the slopes of nearby Titcomb Mountain.

Population*	4,31825
Median Household Income	$40,35026
Median Home Price	$332,50027
Median Monthly Rent**	$1,40028
Average Annual Rainfall	49”29
Unemployment Rate***	4.1%30

^{*Farmington isn’t part of a metro area,so the population of the city itself was used.
**Rent data for Farmington is based on a general median.
***Unemployment rate includes all of Franklin County.}

Towns Near Farmington

Chisholm
Industry
Jay
Livermore Falls
New Sharon
Mercer
Wilton

Portland

The city of Portland has gone by three other names in its 400-year history: Machigone, Casco and Falmouth. Through name changes, wars, and a devastating fire, Portland has had to reinvent itself a few times—an interesting fact considering that today’s Portland has quite the mix of people and lifestyles. Because of this mixture and more, Portland is the biggest city in Maine and is considered one of the best places to live—not just in the state, but in the country.³¹ Despite there being very few tall buildings, it’s the closest a Mainer will come to life in the big city—complete with traffic!

Portland is situated off beautiful Casco Bay and was originally founded as a major sea commerce hub. There’s still a lot of that going on, but Portland also has businesses covering industries like education, health care, manufacturing and tourism.³² The Old Port district and surrounding waterfront acts as a fun community space while celebrating the city’s heritage—with modern shops and restaurants housed in 19th century buildings. And the local arts scene is thriving with live theater, music festivals and street fairs throughout the year.

Metro Area Population*	561,57633
Median Household Income	$71,49834
Median Home Price	$599,90035
Median Monthly Rent**	$2,46936
Average Annual Rainfall	51”37
Unemployment Rate	3%38

Towns Near Portland

Brunswick
Cape Elizabeth
Cumberland
Falmouth
Freeport
Saco
Yarmouth

Rangeley

The village of Rangeley is a great example of some of the smaller, more remote communities found in Maine’s northwest region. Rangeley and its nearby sister villages form the Rangeley Lakes Region, which is a year-round resort area surrounded by forests, mountains and lakes (six to be exact). This means that Rangeley’s main industry is tourism—offering vacationers some of that trademark Maine outdoor adventure with hiking, mountain biking, fishing and watersports on Rangeley Lake, skiing at nearby Saddleback Mountain, and more.

Given Rangeley’s position as a tourist town, most of the in-town employment is seasonal (can’t really be a lifeguard on the beach during winter . . . brrr!). Since it’s such a popular vacation town, people have snapped up property for vacation homes, inflating housing prices over the past few years, so keep that in mind. But if a vacation home is in your future (and your budget), Rangeley would be a great place to have it.

Population*	56839
Median Household Income	$48,02640
Median Home Price	$525,00041
Median Monthly Rent**	$2,25042
Average Annual Rainfall	45”43
Unemployment Rate	9%44

^{*Rangeley isn’t part of a metro area, so the population of the city itself was used.
**Rent data for Rangeley is based on a general median.}

Rockland

Right smack-dab in the middle of the coast of Maine is Rockland—the lobster capital of the world! A majority of Maine’s famous lobster is harvested and shipped from Rockland’s waterfront on Penobscot Bay, and a lot of the town’s industry is centered around lobster (though there’s also manufacturing and technology, among others).⁴⁵ Rockland is so crazy for lobster that they’ve been hosting the Maine Lobster Festival for over 75 years and cook more than 20,000 pounds of lobster over its five days! They also have the world’s biggest lobster cooker to help out.⁴⁶

But let’s say you’re not really into seafood. Rockland also has a thriving arts community and an active downtown with shops and restaurants (though a lot of the latter are geared toward serving those delicious red lobsters). There are museums like the Center for Maine Contemporary Art and the Farnsworth Art Museum, as well as the North Atlantic Blues Festival and the Festival of Lights.

Metro Area Population*	6,98647
Median Household Income	$52,21248
Median Home Price	$372,00049
Median Monthly Rent	$1,95350
Average Annual Rainfall	51”51
Unemployment Rate	6%52

^{*The metro area population numbers include the citytogether with the surrounding urban and suburban areas.
**Rent data for Rockland is based on a general median.}

Towns Near Rockland

Camden
Rockport
Thomaston
Waldoboro
Warren

Best Places to Live in Maine for Families

With its low crime rate and well-rated schools, Maine is a great place for families to land. The communities listed below offer great family-oriented amenities like public parks and libraries where children can learn and play.

Bangor
Camden
Cape Elizabeth
Cumberland
Freeport
Kennebunkport
York

Best Places to Live in Maine for Young Professionals

If you’re a young single professional looking to start your career or are a risk-taking entrepreneur (like our pal Chester Greenwood), Maine definitely wants you. In fact, if you’re strapped with student loan payments, Maine will help you pay your student loans—either by reducing or eliminating your Maine income tax or by giving you $40,000 in student loan relief if you’re a first-time home buyer.^53,54 So here are a few examples of some towns that are oriented toward the younger set.

Augusta
Farmington
Hallowell
Old Orchard Beach
Portland
Rockland
Saco

Best Places to Live in Maine for Retirees

The median resident age in Maine is 45—the oldest population in all 50 states.⁵⁵ A lot of retirees move to Maine for its scenery and leisurely pace of life, and those longtime residents who do retire usually end up staying. Plus, Maine is very close to the Canadian border, which means you can travel up to the Great White North and save some serious money on medications (20–30% off in some cases—though there are restrictions). Here are some places to consider.

Bar Harbor
Camden
Caribou
Cumberland
Hallowell
Presque Isle
Yarmouth

Ready to Move to Maine?

Is moving to Maine the way your life should be? Then it’s time to find a real estate agent. And not just any real estate agent. For a fast and easy way to find top-notch local Maine agents, look no further than our network of RamseyTrusted® agents.

We only recommend agents who know their territory, will take care of you the Ramsey way, and are on a mission to help you find the perfect place to call home.