Part of the Moving to Maine guide
Pick the region that fits your situation. Each guide covers towns, cost, winter, jobs, and what daily life actually looks like.
Quick Take
Where you land in Maine determines almost your entire experience. Greater Portland costs the most and has the most amenities. Central Maine is the affordable practical pick. Downeast is dramatic coastal beauty with a sharp price gradient. Sebago Lake country is four-season lake life within commuting distance of Portland. Bangor is the cheapest real city. The midcoast and western Maine fill in the rest.
Pick a region below to go deep.
Maine's largest metro — restaurants, arts, jobs, and a walkable waterfront. The most "city" Maine gets.
Towns: Portland, South Portland, Westbrook, Scarborough, Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth, +3 more
Quintessential coastal Maine — harbors, lighthouses, lobster boats, and tight-knit communities.
Towns: Brunswick, Bath, Rockland, Camden, Thomaston, Damariscotta, +3 more
Acadia National Park, wild blueberry barrens, and the most rugged coastline in the state.
Towns: Ellsworth, Bar Harbor, Blue Hill, Machias, Milbridge, Cherryfield, +3 more
The state capital region — affordable housing, Colby College, and easy access to everything.
Towns: Augusta, Waterville, Skowhegan, Gardiner, Hallowell, Winthrop, +3 more
Mountains, skiing, four-season outdoor living, and small-town Maine at its most authentic.
Towns: Farmington, Rumford, Bethel, Norway, Oxford, Rangeley, +3 more
Eastern Maine's hub — UMaine, affordable housing, and the gateway to the north woods and Acadia.
Towns: Bangor, Brewer, Orono, Old Town, Hampden, Hermon, +2 more
Maine's second-largest lake, 45 minutes from Portland — year-round lake community with a busy summer and a deeply quiet winter.
Towns: Naples, Raymond, Casco, Sebago, Windham, Standish, +3 more
Start with the full Moving to Maine guide. It covers cost of living, winters, jobs, and how to pick the right region for your situation.
Read the full guide →