Retire to Oregon Coast or Maine Coast? (Camden: houses, property taxes)

[Family of five]

Thanks for your thoughts. We certainly don't mind winter - we've lived in PA, NJ, MA, and MN.

The megalopolis does concern me a bit - from DC to Boston is insanely populated. We are so used to not fighting traffic and crowds, now, that it would be an adjustment. It we stayed in Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire, maybe we wouldn't notice too much of a difference.

I posted this question on the Oregon forum, also, and received much more feedback here - thank you.

Maine has always held a sort of intrigue for me. I wanted to be a marine biologist (never did it), and went up to College of the Atlantic to interview and apply. I was accepted, but my parents wouldn't let me go because, as my mother said, "you'll marry a fisherman and then we'll never see you again." So, I went to college in NJ, and two years later almost transfered to University of New England. I had chosen my classes, had a room, but at the last minute decided to stay home. My first two years of undergrad had been incredibly stressful and I wasn't in the best shape emotionally. So I commuted to school in PA, became a biology teacher, and ended up in MN for grad school, and we are still here. I really feel like I missed my chance to live in Maine, and I feel like retiring there is my only chance left. We are a ways away from retirement, but our quality of life is so high here that I feel like if we moved to Maine now, we'd have a lot less money and a lot more stress. My husband's job really requires a big city, and neither of us believe that Portland is big enough. We really, really wish it were.

However, the Oregon Coast is so open and beautiful, and I love that you can drive and drive without being in a populated area.

So, that's a little bit more about where I am coming from. We are about as far from the ocean as you can get, which is so frustrating for someone who absolutely feels called to be near the ocean. With finances and career in mind, it looks like retirement is our best bet.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for your input!

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

... Another thing is that the West Coast is not as sprawled out. Yes the SeaTec region is a large chunk of real estate, and Portland Or dips into Olympia and of course the Bay and SoCal as well as Sacramento, but they are crammed into certain pockets of the state. You can drive from Olympia all the way to Sacramento and see nothing but redwood forsests and quaint towns. That's like an 11 hour drive.

From Boston on down to DC is just one giant megalopolis. Yes, you can drive around it, if you want, and stick to the "scenic route" But at least from Sacramento, CA on up that "scenic route" is always the quickest drive from point A to B.

From Imperial Beach Ca up to Midway Wa is 1399 miles and takes about 22 hours to drive.

From Key Largo Fl up to Eastport is 1906 miles and takes about 29 hours to drive.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Family of five

Thanks for your thoughts. We certainly don't mind winter - we've lived in PA, NJ, MA, and MN.

The megalopolis does concern me a bit - from DC to Boston is insanely populated. We are so used to not fighting traffic and crowds, now, that it would be an adjustment. It we stayed in Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire, maybe we wouldn't notice too much of a difference.

Most of Maine is totally different from those urban areas.

The over populated phenomenon that you mention is only found in Southern Maine, and what is commonly called 'Northern Mass'.

... However, the Oregon Coast is so open and beautiful, and I love that you can drive and drive without being in a populated area.

That is what I like about Maine.

I am from California. I attended college in both Fresno and Ukiah. So I am familiar with both urban and rural.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by Family of five

T


Maine has always held a sort of intrigue for me. I wanted to be a marine biologist (never did it), and went up to College of the Atlantic to interview and apply.

...and ended up in MN for grad school, and we are still here.

You know, one of the reasons I moved to Maine was for marine biology-not the only, or main reason, mind you-just one of them.

I also moved out here from Minneapolis. What part of Minnesota are you in? Where did you go to grad school?

[Family of five]

We are in St. Paul, in the Mac/Groveland neighborhood. We landed in Minneapolis first, first in Uptown, then Linden Hills. We both went to the University of Minnesota. My husband went to the Law School, and I got a Masters in Environmental Education. I still harbor a hope that I'll be able to work in some way on the coast - maybe as a marine educator of sorts.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Most of Maine is totally different from those urban areas.

The over populated phenomenon that you mention is only found in Southern Maine, and what is commonly called 'Northern Mass'.

I would hardly call Southern Maine overly populated.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

I would hardly call Southern Maine overly populated.

A city is a city.

It can not be a city without a large population.

A dense population base raises crime, taxes, and pollution.

The quote: "The megalopolis does concern me a bit - from DC to Boston is insanely populated. We are so used to not fighting traffic and crowds, now, that it would be an adjustment. It we stayed in Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire, maybe we wouldn't notice too much of a difference."

Is saying that while the Middle region of the Eastern seaboard is "insanely populated", moving to Maine's traffic and crowds they would not notice a difference.

That would only make sense if the author of that quote, thought that all of Maine was an over-populated city like Portland [ie, Northern Mass].

So far, all of your whining negativism about Maine, is exclusively whining about the urban area of Northern Mass.

[Family of five]

Just to clarify, I don't think that Maine, Portland included, is too populated or congested for me personally. Portland would be by far the smallest city we've ever lived in. I was imagining traveling down the coast (Boston and south) to visit friends or relatives, or to just travel, and having a hard time adjusting to the traffic and congestion. I am very familiar with that entire stretch (Boston to DC), and I cringe just thinking about it. However, if we stayed north of Boston, I don't think that I would feel like there were too many people or too much development. We have really gotten used to space in general here in the Midwest, and never deal with traffic - we use public transportation, walk, or drive a few miles and almost never get on a highway.

I don't think that my previous post was very clear on that point - sorry.

[Submariner]

I stand corrected. I mis-read the previous post.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by Elcarim

Actually, Texas only has two! Hot and Hotter!! Fall is non-existent here and winter is only an idea, but spring and summer are very notable.

Oh, come on, now. Some parts of Texas get chilly, and even see some snow from time to time. It was great fun seeeing 3 inches of snow paralyze a region while I drove aroud deserted streets having learned to drive in the NE.