BEST Maine town to grow old in (Portland, Bangor: condo, homes)

[bangorme]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

How would you compare Bangor with Waterville, in terms of my list but also in terms of overall appeal?

I lived in Hinckley (a town outside of Waterville) many years ago. I would take Waterville over Augusta/Gardiner, but certainly not over Bangor. Bangor meets every single one of your criteria.

As far as traffic goes, I understand it (I just moved back to Maine from the DC area), but don't want to live in it. My grandparents used to live in Old Orchard and hated the summer because of the tourists! That's too bad because the summers are so nice in Maine. So, although I understand the value of tourism to Maine, and want see them keep coming, I will try to live in places where I don't have to compete with them.

[flycessna]

Just looking at the title of this thread I am suprised that no one has mentioned a few towns that are SOOOOOOO boring that every day is an eternity..... and therfore a great place to grow old in..

[mensaguy]

I intend to grow old in Eastport. It suits me. It may not suit you.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by jnnappi

newenglandgirl, I see that a few people don't agree with me about towns/cities to stay away from. I am new here so I guess I am generalizing on places that have bad reps like Lewiston and Auburn. I still believe what I believe about Sanford though, I worked there and a lot of what I would call red necks of Maine live there. Sorry Sanford, but you haven't shown to me much differently. I'm now saying that the town I live in doesn't have them either. Small towns that don't have their on police department and rely on the sheriff or the state to come around to patrol the area, you find a lot of strange and lawless people hiding out in these areas. The good thing about not having any law around, you can have a sticker on your care that was due for an inspections, God months ago, and no one around to see and pull you over. Watch me get pulled over tomorrow!!! Any way I moved to a small town in Maine, don't really want to say were but let me say that its at the top of York County, because my husband and I were going to take over his fathers business, a small nursery. Because of my husbands health we had to change our minds once we all ready sold our house in Mass and bought this on here in Maine. At times I miss the area i grew up in near Salem Ma, but I don't miss the hussle and bussle of it all. From the profit of my house in Ma, I was able to buy my house out right up hear in Maine. My taxed were cut in half and I have 4 acres, I had not even a 16th of an acre before. My automobile insurance went from 3600 a year to under 1000 here! Could never have the house I have here back in Massachusetts.

So, 'lawlessness' is OK for *you*, but not anyone else?

Just about every state I've been in has the type of people you denigrate as 'rednecks', and FYI, my neck is about as red as any others you see in the state. Most are good people, if you take the time to get to know them.

'Strange' people? I guess you never noticed some of the characters that hang out at the Dunkin Donuts across the way from the Eaton's in Salem...or the lawlessness and crime just down the road in the area of Union St. in Lynn.

I lived in Beverly, Peabody and Salem and a couple of other towns, and I'd say it's a far sight better here than there. At least no one here has tried to stick me up or torch my car or driven over my bike in a parking lot and just drive away without saying anything (with 87 people in 2 apartment buildings claiming they never heard or saw a thing).

I think your perceptions are slightly distorted.

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by Zymer

So, 'lawlessness' is OK for *you*, but not anyone else?

Just about every state I've been in has the type of people you denigrate as 'rednecks', and FYI, my neck is about as red as any others you see in the state. Most are good people, if you take the time to get to know them.

'Strange' people? I guess you never noticed some of the characters that hang out at the Dunkin Donuts across the way from the Eaton's in Salem...or the lawlessness and crime just down the road in the area of Union St. in Lynn.

I lived in Beverly, Peabody and Salem and a couple of other towns, and I'd say it's a far sight better here than there. At least no one here has tried to stick me up or torch my car or driven over my bike in a parking lot and just drive away without saying anything (with 87 people in 2 apartment buildings claiming they never heard or saw a thing).

I think your perceptions are slightly distorted.

I dont necessarily agree with them either Zymer..

But I "think" what they are saying is that when your in a place like Sanford.... at least to me anyways... all you see is is low income people and the area looks run down.. there is no life there.. no large middle class population with educated people living and working ect.. Now I would not call them Red Necks but I still think I know what they were driving at..

Now I disagree with them about Auburn because I know that here in Auburn yea you get that low income run off from Lewiston but Auburn has Many Many middle class and upper middle class people living and raising families here.. And just the past decade we saw tons of new developement.. ( I know I sound like and elitist but it is what it is )

I came from Mass too and yea sure Mass is going to have the robberies and the occasional shootings ect.. ( which BTW Maine is getting more of every year) but really that kind of stuff doesnt really effect the average resident down there.. I can think of the town I grew up in that is bigger than most cities up here and still has far less crime rate then most of our small towns..

Case in Point... Compare Salem (which is by far NOT any place I would choose to live though I love visiting it) with place that you are familiar with in Maine with crime rates.. Aside from the violent crime (which again is changing here real fast) there is way more petty crime associated with poor demographics here in Maine.. A quick glance showed that Bangor's property crime rate was just about 3x higher than the property crime rate in Salem Ma..

[bangorme]

Originally Posted by flycessna

Just looking at the title of this thread I am suprised that no one has mentioned a few towns that are SOOOOOOO boring that every day is an eternity..... and therfore a great place to grow old in..

You mean like California, Maine?

[Newdaawn]

I am not totally charmed with Waterville. We go there for some of their "film Festival" at the Railroad Cinema. I am just biased with Bangor as it has more going for it and is closer to the ocean. I have yet to find a good restaurant in Waterville. I am curious why it is so important that you have a Sr. Center with a Van? Are you not going to have a car? If you would like to have more information about Bangor's Sr. Center just google HSSC "Hammond Street Senior Center" It is a fabulous place something going on there every day from about 8:30 to 4:30.

[BillAck]

Hallowell is the place for you. It has everything your looking for at a good price.

[atrixwolfe]

I didn't read though all 6 pages of this post, but enough that I have to point out that Cape Elizabeth is not that expensive. Sure there are the hit butgh priced homes on shore drive, but there are other parts to the town. I know expensive is all relative, But there are nice neighborhood homes here that range in the 200K to 300K range. WHat is great about CE is You have the beach, there are farms, woods and maine medical is very close. Portland is there for convenience and there is a small town feel. There are also a number of independant living facilities near by for way in the future. CHeck out newenglandmoves.com and do a search for houses and condo's in cape elizabeth in the 200K to 300K range and hopefully you'll see what I mean. Also Maine Medical has the best hospital reputation in maine, which Info I get from a relative who works at eastern Maine med in Bangor. All I'm saying is don't rule it out till you've visited....If you do go down Ocean Steet rather than shore drive.

[RiverBird]

Originally Posted by BillAck

Hallowell is the place for you. It has everything your looking for at a good price.

I actually like Gardiner more than Hallowell. Hallowell seems more exposed to the river (?) in the event of major flooding. It's an artsy town which is nice, but Gardiner seems more established in terms of a town, with lots more including its wonderful downtown. I'm surprised more Mainers aren't into Gardiner. I especially like the Reny's there (downtown), the public library, and the printmaking studio, plus the supermarket---what's it called? that seems to have some natural foods products.

Do you live in Hallowell?