Possibly relocating to Maine from Texas, Buying Land, etc... (Penobscot: sales, how much)

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Vance Mack

Actually, I do live here. My comments are not ill informed but are based entirely in fact.

Then I do apologize.

From your posts I had gotten the idea that you live in Portland down near the NH border somewhere. You rarely say anything that even sounds remotely like Maine. But if you insist that you are actually in Maine, then I do apologize for my mistaken impression of you.

The OP in this thread was talking about moving to Maine. Did you have something to say that applies to Maine?

[maineguy8888]

Housing in Maine can be very cheap, depending on the part of Maine.

[Maineac]

Originally Posted by Vance Mack

Actually, I do live here. My comments are not ill informed but are based entirely in fact.


As an example, for 2016 MERIC rated Maine 38th in cost of living and Texas 9th.
https://www.missourieconomy.org/indi...ving/index.stm


And http://cost-of-living.careertrends.com/d/a/State provides the following breakdown:



Maine has a higher cost of living: Maine is 6% above the national average, while Texas is 11% below

• Childcare: Maine is 3% above the national average, while Texas is 18% below
• Food: Maine and Texas are both the same as the national average
• Healthcare: Maine is 13% above the national average, while Texas is 18% below
• Housing: Maine is 4% above the national average, while Texas is 4% below
• Taxes: Maine is 15% above the national average, while Texas is 39% below
• Transportation: Maine is 3% above the national average, while Texas is 1% below

I suspect that Childcare, Healthcare, etc. weigh on taxes, and you likely get (well, whatever you can get when government is involved) what you pay for. I'm gonna guess Mainers fare better in those arenas - lower income Mainers anyway. And if you look out the window, you can see where some of the transportation expense arises.

[Vance Mack]

Originally Posted by Submariner

Then I do apologize.

From your posts I had gotten the idea that you live in Portland down near the NH border somewhere. You rarely say anything that even sounds remotely like Maine. But if you insist that you are actually in Maine, then I do apologize for my mistaken impression of you.

The OP in this thread was talking about moving to Maine. Did you have something to say that applies to Maine?

What is it about my post that makes you think I am from "Portland near the NH border somewhere" Mr. California and is that not Maine?
Is it because I use facts instead of hyperbole, guessing and circular reasoning?
Regarding weather I have something to offer the poster from Texas that applies to Maine, did you read my post detailing cost of living in Maine vs Texas?
I am indeed from here. I have paddled all the major rivers in Maine at least once. I have hiked the Whites summer and winter and paddled and sailed most of the coast all the way to Eastport. I have done a fair amount of backcountry skiing in Baxter and the region around Greenville. I have climbed Katahdin summer and winter. My brother has a farm in Perham.
As it happens I have a job that has taken me to almost every city in America and all over the world. I even had to live in Texas for the better part of a year, so yes, I consider myself qualified to comment on this topic. Perhaps even more so that a transplanted realator from California.
Just keeping it real.

[TheKezarWoodsman]

Statistically Maine as a whole does have a slightly higher COL, although its very high around Portland and the coast, bringing the average up. Other areas ive researched (most of the state) are within 5-10% of the national average in either direction. Portland costs more than bangor, which is more than fort kent, which is more than Sub's unorganized township.

Just through driving through it i notice the prices in the more vacation prone areas are more expensive than my neck of MA, and the areas right outside are about the same. Then when driving through Northern Maine (north of bangor, but away from Katahdin), ive notices that prices drop dramitically, although alot of food prices dont change much besides potatoes which are alot cheaper. I attribute the later to the distance from the Midwest (Maine is a farm-heavy state, but as NMLM says alot, its output is decreasing, as well the main crop is potatoes/blueberries, with what ive noticed as few largescale animal or grain operations).

So Maine is not your small cheap Kansas farming community, but it is not a Beverly hills either, infact it ranks just about average many upper midwestern states, and some rural "touristy" states like Montana that have similar High-Low col divides.

For reference Sterling lists the following
Maine 97.6
Montana 102.8
Minnesota 103.5
Pennsylvania 96.6
Massachusetts 137.7
Californa 152.3
Alaska 135.2
Texas 90.4

For comparison within Maine
Portland 122.6
Bangor 100.1 (average)
Fort Kent 89.9
Caribou 89.6
Millinocket 85.5
Ashland 82.8
Skowhegan 87.1
Dover Foxcroft 90.8
Greenville 94.9
Gray 108.9
Augusta 95.6
Presque Isle 95.2

See the pattern, bigger towns down south cost more than the national average (portland takes the cake at 122.6 (suprising as most state capitols are near the top). The further north you go the lower it gets, and even caribou, fort kent, and presque isle (Aroostook Counties "cities"), rank lower than the national (and state) average. Rural Aroostook towns even drop all the way down to roughly 80%.

This data only serves to highlight the divide between Maines two districts.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I don't smoke anything or use any illegal substances. Never did. That said, the availability and variety of mind altering substances figures large in some people's choices of where to live. A cursory awareness of current laws and potential future laws are factors in people's choices of where to locate. I don't pretend to understand it, but facts are facts and correct facts are valuable to those seeking advice.

[LeviDunn]

Originally Posted by HoustonTexasEngineer

Honestly we both hate Texas, not so much the politics per se... We are both libertarian in nature, we like our guns and ammo. We like the government leaving us alone and we hate the Texas climate with a passion. Yes Maine is probably the most extreme cold place we could live outside of Alaska but it appears much cheaper to live there than California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington.

I've been researching for a week now as far as Demographics, climate, geography. I'm more interested in finding a good loan originator and I figured maybe you residents would know someone.

You would fit in well with people in NH.

NH has medical pot only but full legal should be down the pike in the next few years. In fact, multiple times the House of Reps has passed full legalization (the only state in the U.S. where legislators passed legal pot, rather than voters making it legal), but the past governor vetoed it. If the house passes legalized pot again this term, I think the new governor will sign it. Watch "101 Reasons Liberty Lives in New Hampshire" on YouTube. If it piques your interest, send me a PM or give me a holler.

[thenewtexan]

Live in Texas, grew up in MA, college in central Maine. Visit Maine in the dead of winter. Not just Portland, go inland and interact with the locals. Maine is very, very, different than the rest of New England. It's a beautiful place with the lowest crime rate in the nation. but the housing stock is very old, and the economy isn't great. In your industry, you should probably consider MA, too.

[Vance Mack]

Originally Posted by TheKezarWoodsman

Statistically Maine as a whole does have a slightly higher COL, although its very high around Portland and the coast, bringing the average up. Other areas ive researched (most of the state) are within 5-10% of the national average in either direction. Portland costs more than bangor, which is more than fort kent, which is more than Sub's unorganized township.

Just through driving through it i notice the prices in the more vacation prone areas are more expensive than my neck of MA, and the areas right outside are about the same. Then when driving through Northern Maine (north of bangor, but away from Katahdin), ive notices that prices drop dramitically, although alot of food prices dont change much besides potatoes which are alot cheaper. I attribute the later to the distance from the Midwest (Maine is a farm-heavy state, but as NMLM says alot, its output is decreasing, as well the main crop is potatoes/blueberries, with what ive noticed as few largescale animal or grain operations).

So Maine is not your small cheap Kansas farming community, but it is not a Beverly hills either, infact it ranks just about average many upper midwestern states, and some rural "touristy" states like Montana that have similar High-Low col divides.

For reference Sterling lists the following
Maine 97.6
Montana 102.8
Minnesota 103.5
Pennsylvania 96.6
Massachusetts 137.7
Californa 152.3
Alaska 135.2
Texas 90.4

For comparison within Maine
Portland 122.6
Bangor 100.1 (average)
Fort Kent 89.9
Caribou 89.6
Millinocket 85.5
Ashland 82.8
Skowhegan 87.1
Dover Foxcroft 90.8
Greenville 94.9
Gray 108.9
Augusta 95.6
Presque Isle 95.2

See the pattern, bigger towns down south cost more than the national average (portland takes the cake at 122.6 (suprising as most state capitols are near the top). The further north you go the lower it gets, and even caribou, fort kent, and presque isle (Aroostook Counties "cities"), rank lower than the national (and state) average. Rural Aroostook towns even drop all the way down to roughly 80%.

This data only serves to highlight the divide between Maines two districts.

I still go back to the 2016 MERIC COL rankings where Maine is 38th and Texas is 9th.
Texas has no state income tax, no annual vehicle property (excise) tax and as of today they pay $0.25 per gallon less than we do for gas AAA Gas Prices
These are just a few examples of things all Mainers, regardless of location have to pay that Texans do not.

[maineguy8888]

Originally Posted by Vance Mack

I still go back to the 2016 MERIC COL rankings where Maine is 38th and Texas is 9th.
Texas has no state income tax, no annual vehicle property (excise) tax and as of today they pay $0.25 per gallon less than we do for gas AAA Gas Prices
These are just a few examples of things all Mainers, regardless of location have to pay that Texans do not.

I suspect that, like Maine, cost of living in Texas can vary a lot.....depending on where you are.