Maine isn’t usually the state that hits news headlines. But with recent news regarding Maine’s Democratic Governor Janet Mills telling second-time President Donald Trump, “We’ll see you in court,” both the LGBTQ+ community and non-LGBTQ+ community took notice of her reaction to federal funding being pulled from transgender athletes. Not especially known for being diverse, the state still has multiple examples of embracing inclusivity.
In recent years, politics has become a driving force for where people decide the best places to live in the United States are. Although Maine lost five of its electoral votes in 1964 (and had nine in the 1820 election), it has voted Democratic in the last nine elections. Whether politics, outdoor adventures, faith-based living or careers in health is your reason for a move, Maine has all of the above. These are the best places to live in Maine upon arrival.
10 Historical Facts About Maine
The population overall in Maine has been on the decline. Between 2010 and 2022, Cumberland County had the largest growth with 25,970 more residents. However, Aroostook County had the largest decline with 4,444 fewer people. Since 2010, there has been growth within the Black population, increasing from 15,610 in 2010 to 25,928 by 2022. And while that number is particularly small compared to the 1.27 million non-Hispanic white people who live there, there have been iconic Black history moments in Maine.
- The first Black person to arrive in Maine was named Mathieu da Costa, who served as an interpreter with a group of French explorers on St. Croix Island near Red Beach – just south of Calais – in 1608. His arrival was 12 years before the Pilgrims arrived (1920) in what is now Massachusetts.
- Portland Eastern Cemetery is Portland, Maine’s oldest public burial ground, which opened in 1668. At that time, Black people were buried in “Colored Ground,” located in the back of the cemetery. Now located along Congress Street, a stone column on the sidewalk indicates that it’s part of the city’s Freedom Trail.
- The black stone closest to the column of Portland Eastern Cemetery is the grave of Jennett Ruby, the first wife of Reuben Ruby, a Black abolitionist.
- Jacob C. Dickson was a barber in a shop located at 243 Fore Street. He was also elected as the secretary of the Portland Union Anti-Slavery Society on June 1, 1842. In his barbershop, wigs, beards and other cover-ups could help to change a fugitive’s appearance while moving to freedom in Canada or England.
- Reverend Amos N. Freeman became the first full-time minister of the Abyssinian Meeting House (Church), which was a well-known stop for the Underground Railroad. Freeman served for 10 years.
- The Abyssinian was one of the few buildings to survive the Great Fire of 1866 thanks to the city’s only Black firefighter William Wilberforce Ruby, also the son of Reuben Ruby. (Because two other small fireworks incidents happened the same day, there’s an assumption that fireworks were the cause of this third fire.) This church is currently the third oldest Black church still standing in the United States.
- Portland native Pauline Hopkins was a Black playwright, journalist and a literary editor for Colored American Magazine. She was also known as a traditional romance novelist. She used romance novels to explore racial and social themes, including Contending Forces: A Romance Illustrative of Negro Life North and South.
- At 63 Federal Street in Brunswick, in 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe penned Uncle Tom’s Cabin, an anti-slavery book. The main character was inspired by the real-life enslaved laborer and Methodist minister Josiah Henson. Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History (formerly Uncle Tom’s Cabin) is the site that Henson helped found in 1841. The name change came about because of the derogatory use of the phrase “Uncle Tom” in later years. Ironically, in Stowe’s book, the character was more of a martyr, putting his life on the line to help two enslaved women who he’d helped escape to freedom.
- In 1829, a Boston used-clothing salesman, David Walker, also an escaped captive from North Carolina, published Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World. He circulated the Appeal by stitching it into the clothing of Black sailors who stopped by. The pamphlet soon found its way to the south, where it sparked a flurry of laws forbidding Black people to read it. If they obtained any abolitionist literature, it was a crime punishable by fine, prison and death. By 1831, Walker’s Appeal inspired Nat Turner’s Rebellion in Virginia and North Carolina.
- Former two-time president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Portland, Gerald E. Talbot, was the first Black person elected to the Maine Legislature and served in the Maine House of Representatives from 1972 to 1978.
Most Populated Neighborhoods in Maine
Spreading out more than 35,380 square miles, Maine is the least densely populated state in New England. Portland, Maine houses 40% of the state’s total population with approximately 67,000 individuals. However, most of Maine is filled with uninhabited land. In the 1800s, Maine could’ve been larger because it was once legally part of Massachusetts until March 15, 1820. From that day forward, it became its own state. The far northern portion of Maine was also in dispute with Canada until a boundary was agreed to in 1842.
There are approximately 38,695 native French speakers in Maine (approximately 3% of the state’s population). Maine also has the highest percentage of non-Hispanic whites of any state in the country, with 89% of all births in Maine to two non-Hispanic white parents. Maine’s population of non-Hispanic whites is estimated to be over 96%. Only two other states (Vermont and West Virginia) have white populations this high. Although left-leaning, Maine does have a dark history when it comes to Native Americans. Even into the 20th century, Wabanaki were not considered Maine citizens until the 1920s, not allowed to vote in federal elections until 1957 and couldn’t vote in state elections until 1967.
The state has gone through some major evolutions since then. For example, in 2020, a massive Black Lives Matter protest was held in Portland, Maine, where thousands of people took to the streets for eight hours to symbolize the approximately eight minutes a police officer was kneeling on George Floyd’s neck. But this wasn’t the first time Portland did something like this. On December 7, 2014, Maine residents marched from Congress Square, down Congress Street, to protest police violence around the country.
Best Job Markets in Maine
With all of its natural beauty, the assumption could be that the top jobs are also within the travel or environmental industry. Actually, the top-paying jobs in Maine are largely in health: orthopedic surgeon (not pediatricians), general interest medicine, general pediatricians, nurse anesthetists, obstetricians, gynecologists, family medicine, dentists and pharmacists. The only non-health-related jobs to make it into the top 10, six-figure jobs are airline pilots, co-pilots, flight engineers, judges and magistrates. The salary for these jobs makes it into the $230K average. Although $80K is still a pretty penny, the education field is one of the lower paying jobs there, including post-secondary computer science teachers and post-secondary education administrators.
Cost of Living in Maine
Depending on where someone lived before, living in Maine could be a relief for purses and wallets. For example, a Los Angeles resident earning $50,000 could keep the same lifestyle in Portland, Maine for $36,875. A Brooklyn, New York native may be pleasantly surprised to learn that $50,000 lifestyle would be easy to copy in Maine for about $34,000. Not all big city residents will have this experience though. A Chicagoan would have to get pretty close to keep up the same lifestyle; that $50,000 salary would need to earn $48,553 in Portland. An Atlanta resident making $50,000 would have a bit of work on their hands; their lifestyle in Maine would cost them $56,365.
Lifestyles in Maine
The largest, populated county in Maine is Cumberland County. The median age for the people living here is 44 years old with as many women as there are men (51% versus 49%). With approximately 60% of residents who participate in Christian-based faith, this is definitely a place to go for those who are enthusiastic about religion. Only one-third (31%) have no affiliation with a faith, and 7% have a non-Christian-based faith upbringing.
In addition to being faith-based and a blue state, it’s also progressed when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community. Maine initially passed a law permitting same-sex marriage in 1997. Then, it was appealed in 2009 on a referendum. Locals fought back, and it became a law again after the passage of another referendum in 2012. Augusta, where the University of Maine is located, is believed to house about 19,000 people and be more LGBTQ+ friendly than other towns and cities in Maine. EqualityMaine, originally named the Maine Lesbian/Gay Political Alliance (MLGPA), was founded in response to the July 1984 murder of Charlie Howard, a young Bangor man who was attacked and murdered for being homosexual. Three decades later, Maine became the 16th state to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and expression in employment, housing, education, credit and public accommodations.
Regardless of who likes who, singles and married couples plotting on the ideal date night should look no further than Cadillac Mountain, the first place in the U.S. to see the sun rise each morning from early October to early March.
Crime Rates While Living in Maine
Maine has an impressive grade in deterring crime, with an A+ rating, specifically in violent crime. Only 6% of states are safer than Maine while 94% would be considered more dangerous. As is the case with any highly populated area, the more people, the more likely that crime may happen. In Maine, more criminal behavior happens in airports, parks and schools. Parks and designated recreational areas, of which Maine has 567, are also labeled as highly problematic when it comes to crime when the truth is there are higher populations there than surrounding areas. Of Maine’s 1.3 million residents, few live near recreational areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rockland, Maine a good place to live?
A crime occurs every one day plus 23 hours (on average) in Rockland. The northwest part of the region is believed to be the safest.
What makes Maine a great place to live?
If you’re a foodie or into nature, this is an ideal place to live, with its waterfront parks, beaches, rugged mountains, dense forests and outdoor sports (kayaking, swimming, hiking).
How much does it cost to live in Maine?
As the cheapest of the five regions in New England, a $50,000 salary would be ideal to live comfortably here.
