Just moved to maine,The wilton area. from the Ozarks where I grew up also spent 12 years in colorado. I don't fit in well but really enjoy community. People here have been extremely nice and helpful. It's so beautiful that I miss the Ozarks alot less than I thought. I'm glad we moved
@@Farmer-bh3cg You beat me to it. New Orleans is hot during the summer, so my wife and I looked into a summer house in Maine. We gave up quickly because of taxes. We also liked Pennsylvania. Again, same story, but Pennsylvania's 4.5% inheritance tax has no lower limit. Your car, your house, and your savings are taxed regardless of how big or small the estate is. So now we're looking at East Tennessee, like everyone else is doing.
Higher-taxed states are where the vast majority of problems fester. Look at the west coast and places like LA, San Fran, Portland, Seattle, Chicago, etc. High taxation forces businesses out, then the welfare state becomes more. I spent my formative years in York County, ME, and absolutely loved it, but it was very noticeable that nearby NH was where border residents from ME went to shop, creating a "retail oasis" in NH border towns and a "retail desert" in ME border towns. The Kittery Outlets are the exception vs. the rule as throngs of traffic entering ME stop there due to the outlet/discount stores.
@@mikes3827 Funny you mention Kittery outlets as Kittery trading post actually has an outpost in Portsmouth NH where they sell their guns tax free to NH residents
I think they were talking about cities that had populations above 6,000 people. Any town in Washington County would of made this list with a few other Northern Counties
@chiefjoseph8154 thanks, I relocated from northwest Connecticut, wealthy Manhattan dwellers have made rural Connecticut unaffordable. Now retired I drift between Maine and Virginia seasonally. Love the few acres outside of Bangor.
@@StuckInTheKernfield. I believe you limited your criteria to say above 6000 residents. Any town in Washington County would be on this list except maybe Machias if a lower population was used
I was born & raised in Calais, graduated from Univ. of Maine -Orono with a BSME. I had to leave the state in order to find decent work and career. But I always loved my home state and always desired to return. We visited the Calais area recently, and I was shocked at how depressed it's become since I originally left. Really, most of Washington County is pretty rough. Although I must say, Rte.9 between Brewer and Calais has vastly improved based on my old memory of it. Now that my wife and I are both retired, we are contemplating a move back despite the harsh winter weather, the higher cost of living, the high taxes and vehicle registration costs. We may even try starting some sort of small business maybe catering to summer visitors or something. Maine is HOME....
Once we lost the paper industry, the entire state became poor. Millinocket was one of the richest towns in NE, now it's reduced to the name of Methinocket. So sad, it was an amazing place to grow up in. Piss poor management from Caribou to York, and spineless incompetent politicians lead to the devastation of a once thriving and vibrant state.
@@Fordworldrallyfan The mill in Rumford is still going as are mills in Fairfield, Hinkley, Madawaska and Baileyville. There may be others that I can't think of. Many more have closed in the last 25 years.
Mainer here, Belfast is a great town to live in. The boom came when the credit card company MBNA set up shop. When they left the town has been scrambling to fill their buildings.
Maine is very poor but one of the most beautiful and kind states in the nation I’m honored to have married into a family from Maine and it is now one of my go to states for vacation. I wish the energy prices weren’t so high because if it wasn’t more companies would want to open in Maine.
Well, the last paper mill just closed in Rumford and there's TONS of hydropower there for server farms, bitcoin mining, and green manufacturing. Fingers crossed someone comes in with green jobs & training
Love the season’s winter is long however there is a lot of fun outdoor activities.. Maine is definitely one of the beautiful states in the entire country thousands and thousands of lakes in a beautiful ocean… The downfall is highly taxed over regulations..
Maine is poor because it is a very large state with a very small, old population. The size matters, because that's how far the infrastructure has to cover. The small population matters because that is who has to pay for this huge territory. The "old" matters, because that is where we've lost income taxes, and gained social support systems. I'm old and live in Maine; it is always financially touch and go. Thank goodness I have my own home (so far.)
I lived in Maine for three years during the late '90s working as a Traveling Operating Room Nurse. Worked up & down the coast at small hospitals & clinics but also worked at Maine Medical Center. I loved the entire state but haven't been back since 1999.
Don't do it. I'm transplant Cost of Living is absurd! Rent/housing is outlandish since covid, electricity, LP, fuel oil, and gasoline is outrageous for income levels available. $0.50 per gallon carbon tax on gasoline, all in its almost $1 per gallon taxes. Very few good paying jobs, internet speed and reliability is currently Questionable at best if you plan to work remote. Though there is fiber coming in it's a slow process.
Much of the high value property in Maine is owned by out of staters from Massachusetts yet their taxes lean heavily on state residents (income and sales taxes). the residents are priced out of the real estate market yet they work in the service sector to cater to the out of staters.
Many Southern New Englanders moving to Maine.. as their States become crowded, and lose t heir beauty. Maine is beautiful, rustic, and the best of the outdoor States in New England.
You missed the Sappi paper mill in Skowhegan which is growing and New Balance has done a big addition in town. You gave a lot of time to the “kneading conference” but missed the Skowhegan fair grounds - which brings a lot of folks to town each August. Skowhegan is right on the Kennebec and is focusing on making that the centerpiece of the town by opening up a white water river park. Tough to hear such a negative report on a town that’s working hard to be a great place for people to visit and spend time…
Interesting... Born in Bangor... in my life I've lived in Bangor, Hampden, Brewer, Old Town, Auburn, Lewiston, Portland, Old Orchard Beach, Skowhegan, and Bingham...
There are a lot of poorer towns in Maine than the ones you listed. Places like Eastport and Millinocket are quite poor because there is no industry in those towns. Towns that used to have major employers that are now gone are generally quite poor with very cheap housing. Just go up into "the county" where pretty much every town is poor or to any former paper mill town. Also if you drive along the coast on highway 1 past Schoodic you won't find any actually prosperous towns. Of the towns you picked, Bath has one of the largest employers in the state (Bath Iron Works). In fact Bath Iron Works is the largest single site employer in Maine and most workers there make decent money.
@@StuckInTheKernfield I think you only looked at larger towns. There are quite a few poorer small towns. Also, poor is relative since you also have to factor in cost of living and particularly housing. For example, along the coast up Bar Harbor you could be poor with a $100K household income because of the very high cost of housing. When your property taxes on the family home are $15K-$20K a year you need a lot more income to just survive than when you live in a town with $150K homes.
This state is just locked in some Twilight zone movie. It hates to change and so that goes for the people as well. The mind set is here is drinking and smoking cigarettes and drinking,oh did I already say that!?. Mind alternating.😵💫🚭
My mother's family is from Eastport area I remember when there was sardine factories in eastport and Pembroke and the government made them shut down the fishing was unbelievable back then then they brought in the salmon pens and things picked up there was work and then the government shut down the salmon pens it's crazy!
Best thing about Gardner is it's proximity to Augusta, which is a great stable employment Mecca being the state capital. Also even closer is Hollowell, which is a cultural and arts community and UMA, which is the cheapest place around to get a 4 year jazz degree. Catch the students playing in local bars in Gardner. All of these communities are good places. most mainers have never been to Caribou though. Skowhegan aka SkowVegas Skowhegan is trashy. Bangor Brewer is a specialty town for the forestry industry and not much more. It's separate from the rest of the state and it feels that way. Hard to say anything bad about it but still. Good college in that area. Belfast is nice and up-and-coming and cheap. Need a quick job? Move somewhere near Freeport in fall and get a job at L.L. Bean. It's pretty easy to do. Good jobs.
I've been to all of the places mentioned in this video. I'm glad my town wasn't mentioned lol. Although some of the towns mentioned surprised me honestly. I thought some of the western towns in the state would have been mentioned.
Bath isn't one of the poorest, the chocolate church is an entertainment venue, come and visit sometime and try going to the interior of the state like Rumford, Litchfield etc.
Crime is only sometimes a symptom of poverty, not its "excuse," as you put it. That comment at the end came across as rather simplistic, reductionist. I make my observation from a sociological point of view. There are some towns in Mississippi, for instance, most of them populated by black majorities, living in deep poverty, but with very little crime. As well as there being very little crime, the properties are kept up and everyone knows everyone else. It's the existence of deep, familial bonds and extended friendship bonds in such places, to include Maine, are that makes crime be a much lower indicator of poverty. Crime is more of an indicator of hopelessness and despair experienced by a person, group of people, or society, rather than poverty, in and of itself.
Maine is considered poor for two reasons. It's at the end of the rainbow, so to speak, isolated from the rest of the country and not much to offer in terms of decent job opportunities because of its disconnect from the rest of the country. Even professional jobs in Maine get about 1/3 to 1/2 of the pay they would bring in other more developed states. The other is taxes, compared to incomes, are among the highest in the country because state government is a big state wannabe with a small state budget. The image at 3:57 is not Bath, it's Brunswick.
I was brought up in Caribou and what they don’t tell you is there is no jobs and it is cold as hell if you like the weather it’s the place for you. It was a great place to bring up kids and retire.
My uncle, Warren Pelletier was the jeweler in Caribou for 50 years. My grandfather George was the jeweler in Ashland for 75 years. I love the whole of the County.
My father would have said Pembrook, he left during the depression. Mother was from Eastport her family during prohibition to be able to near her father in jail for running alcohol for Joe Kennedy. My wives mother escaped Northport when she became a WAC went to MA. Love to vacation there but leave to live better. Most of the town's mention wife or I have relatives.
you can sit at a computer and analyze data, but to know the real numbers and way of life of people outside of these larger towns you mentioned. data doesn't show why the jobs aren't available and we can all thank the governments, state and federal for supporting trade agreements that only agreed with the wealthy...thousands of jobs in Maine are gone because of it.. my generation is retiring, and the only thing being passed onto the next gen is construction or medical jobs...
Let’s not forget the PFAS chemicals from paper mill sludge that farmers dumped all over the land, contaminating the water and soil forever. But who needs regulations, right?
Chlorobenzene and harsh chemicals were being improperly disposed of by Eastland Woolen Mill in Corinna, Maine. It was a Superfund site. My Mom died of cancer. It was the water she was consuming while working at the mill that killed her. Many others in my small hometown passed of cancer, too. No regulations or if there were they obviously weren't followed. This aches my heart.
How in the world did Rumford not end up on this list? I live 20 miles from Rumford and the entire city is one big slum (with beautiful old buildings rotting before your eyes) as a result of the decline of the papermills in the area. They have HUGE rates of drug misuse and childhood poverty. The last mill just closed there and once you leave town to the north, there's not cell signal until you hit Canada in 3+ hours. Then there's Machias, "Of the 101 towns in the state with available data, Machias ranks as the poorest. The typical Machias household earns just $20,333 a year, 67.8% less than the statewide median household income. Given the low incomes, it is not surprising that a larger than average share of residents live in poverty." Is there a reason you didn't consider Perry, Maine? Approximate Population: 1,492 / Percentage of Population Living Below the Poverty Level: 35.1%
I covered communities with a population of 5000 or more, so Perry and Machias were smaller than what I reviewed. Most tiny communities lack a diverse economy. As for Rumford, their median household income is $39522, according to The Census Bureau, so it's not as poor as the ones I did cover. If you want to hear my thoughts on Rumford, I covered it in my video on the worst northeastern states.
I find it hard to believe that Caribou is the only poor town in Aroostook county. Did you look at Ft. Fairfield, Limestone, Easton? Iirc those were pretty poor towns.
This seemed more like a tourist video, most of the towns mentioned all have a significant business "Skowhegan" for example has "sappi" large papermill, many of the surrounding communities aren't as well off. Many western Maine towns, and nortern Maine towns should be on this list.
But as a born in caribou member food gas and lack of medical and dental and lack of animal care till Bangor 3 hr south so we have a hospital but not all that good but the land it beautiful see Canada arocoss the St.John and lot of nice people
My uncle, Warren Pelletier was the jeweler in Caribou for 50 years. My grandfather George was the jeweler in Ashland for 75 years. I love the whole of the County.
Anything south of Bangor is liberal..Northern more Constitutional Conservative.. i lived in St Francis and 40 year's later I still miss my time up there . Absolutely Beautiful
I want to add, the largest segment of the population in Caribou is the baby boomer generation. Therefore, a lot of persons living in Caribou Maine are retired or going to be retired. Caribou being on this list, should honestly say more about how much pay we receive during retirement. There are roughly 6,316 adults in Caribou and 1,979 of them are seniors. 31.33% of the residents there are seniors.
lmao, the way you pronouced Orono. ya never mentioned the quality of education a child can have here. and the good common sense to stretch that penny to a dollar, well thats a maine secret i aint sharing.
I grew up in Topsham, I enjoyed my 18 years there but I enjoy living in MA much more. (1) better job market (why I never went back after college) (2) people lack diversity of experiences, many live in the same area they grew up in (3) as an ambitious person I wanted to be around other like minded people, Maine is not a fit for that
I lived in Old Town for 30 plus years after seeing this I now Realize I was the richest man in that town. No wonder I was so disliked, but I was respected. I made a fortune in that town. Selling cars selling tires Collission and auto body rust work. I moved there from California, but a lot of stats. In this information about these small towns in Maine other than illogistics are wrong. You got your numbers right lady.But when it came to the homeless and real poverty Areas around the state you away off the mark.
Define poorest? When I think poor I certainly don't think of these towns on the list. I was born and raised in central Maine, lived here for 49 years, earned a 4 year college degree in Maine and have been a Maine Realtor for 21 years. With all due respect, you pronounced Orono incorrectly.
I said in the video that these are the places with the lowest median household income. And I'm hooked on phonics, so I pronounce all of the letters. 🤷🏼♀️
😂 I live in Maine, and you’re telling me that Old town is number 1?? I’m sorry, but what about Hartland or Saint Albans or Somerset county in general? You know what I’ve seen? Some people not even living in homes in those areas, living in essentially trap houses (no heat, wouldn’t pass a code inspection.) There are poorer towns than what you just mentioned.
Income in Maine has not kept up with prices.. accounting jobs still pay $20.00 an hour. Thats 1980s wages and rents 1600 a month minimum. Do the math. Add in the rich have bought everything with out of state wages. Better be a millionaire to live here.. no senior housing so we cant sell..
Let's call it cashless by choice, we in Maine pay the bills and when that's done why do more , to purchase more junk you don't need? Ya.we good here 🌬✌️hi frm Me.
BOOOOOOOOO! You missed so many ACTUALLY impoverished towns. You actually chose some of the BEST towns in Maine. You were starting to scratch the surface with Skowtown.
Just moved to maine,The wilton area. from the Ozarks where I grew up also spent 12 years in colorado. I don't fit in well but really enjoy community. People here have been extremely nice and helpful. It's so beautiful that I miss the Ozarks alot less than I thought. I'm glad we moved
@@hillpunk92 I moved to Maine from north ozarks many many moons ago. Such a beautiful place to live
@@hillpunk92 I live just a town over in Farmington
@@hillpunk92 Just give it time. You'll fit in eventually.
I moved from Brooklyn NY to mid coast Maine and I love it
Wilton's a dump. It's tied with Jay for the most depressing town in western Maine.
One reason Maine Is Generally a poor state is that, surprisingly, it is one of the most heavily taxed states.
@@Farmer-bh3cg You beat me to it. New Orleans is hot during the summer, so my wife and I looked into a summer house in Maine. We gave up quickly because of taxes. We also liked Pennsylvania. Again, same story, but Pennsylvania's 4.5% inheritance tax has no lower limit. Your car, your house, and your savings are taxed regardless of how big or small the estate is. So now we're looking at East Tennessee, like everyone else is doing.
@@Farmer-bh3cg Yes Maine is the lowest paid and highest taxed
Higher-taxed states are where the vast majority of problems fester. Look at the west coast and places like LA, San Fran, Portland, Seattle, Chicago, etc. High taxation forces businesses out, then the welfare state becomes more. I spent my formative years in York County, ME, and absolutely loved it, but it was very noticeable that nearby NH was where border residents from ME went to shop, creating a "retail oasis" in NH border towns and a "retail desert" in ME border towns. The Kittery Outlets are the exception vs. the rule as throngs of traffic entering ME stop there due to the outlet/discount stores.
@@mikes3827 Funny you mention Kittery outlets as Kittery trading post actually has an outpost in Portsmouth NH where they sell their guns tax free to NH residents
Boy you haven't been out of Maine have you?
There are many towns in Maine that are poorer than the towns you mentioned
Thats a fact.
I think they were talking about cities that had populations above 6,000 people. Any town in Washington County would of made this list with a few other Northern Counties
Second that.
@@dalepotter6918 yeah like Strong, Hartland, Rumford, Mexico, and many others
@@michaellarrabee5873 you’re 100% correct.
Unfortunately Maine is now over run with Massholes and jerks from N.Y. And Conn. 😢
@chiefjoseph8154 thanks, I relocated from northwest Connecticut, wealthy Manhattan dwellers have made rural Connecticut unaffordable. Now retired I drift between Maine and Virginia seasonally. Love the few acres outside of Bangor.
Don’t forget the worst one. NJ
That are paying taxes which help keep things running…
@@chiefjoseph8154 I first heard the term massholes 40 years ago haven’t heard it in a while
Yes, and it's the less wealthy of the said people who own in Maine
I'm guessing you're not from Maine, since none of your picks were in Washington County.
They're not my picks. This was directly from the Census Bureau. I just pulled out the seven communities with the lowest median household income.
Or the County….
@@mafirearmsafety Caribou is in the County
@@StuckInTheKernfield. I believe you limited your criteria to say above 6000 residents. Any town in Washington County would be on this list except maybe Machias if a lower population was used
Ahhhh that’s alright, even the Maine news/weather usually ignore us down here. 😉
I was born & raised in Calais, graduated from Univ. of Maine -Orono with a BSME. I had to leave the state in order to find decent work and career. But I always loved my home state and always desired to return. We visited the Calais area recently, and I was shocked at how depressed it's become since I originally left. Really, most of Washington County is pretty rough. Although I must say, Rte.9 between Brewer and Calais has vastly improved based on my old memory of it. Now that my wife and I are both retired, we are contemplating a move back despite the harsh winter weather, the higher cost of living, the high taxes and vehicle registration costs. We may even try starting some sort of small business maybe catering to summer visitors or something.
Maine is HOME....
Property tax is horrendous.
@@joeanita8654 boy, you haven't been out of Maine have you?
Maybe, but where I came from I was paying triple for a much smaller property.
I live in Massachusetts and I am looking for a home in maine and I find real estate taxes to be much lower than Massachusetts.
Once we lost the paper industry, the entire state became poor. Millinocket was one of the richest towns in NE, now it's reduced to the name of Methinocket. So sad, it was an amazing place to grow up in. Piss poor management from Caribou to York, and spineless incompetent politicians lead to the devastation of a once thriving and vibrant state.
Paper, Logging in General and the Fishery Industries along the North-Central Coast … the EPA devastated the Economy and People.
Is the mill at Rumford still open?
@@Fordworldrallyfan The mill in Rumford is still going as are mills in Fairfield, Hinkley, Madawaska and Baileyville. There may be others that I can't think of. Many more have closed in the last 25 years.
We have taxes on our phone bill and we don't have any public transportation either. But we pay taxes for one
Mainer here. Good video. Liked it.
Thank you!!!
Agree
Mainer here, Belfast is a great town to live in. The boom came when the credit card company MBNA set up shop. When they left the town has been scrambling to fill their buildings.
Maine is very poor but one of the most beautiful and kind states in the nation I’m honored to have married into a family from Maine and it is now one of my go to states for vacation. I wish the energy prices weren’t so high because if it wasn’t more companies would want to open in Maine.
@@Runner-fz5qg Maine isn't "very poor"😂. It's not even in the top ten
@@PollyPurree It's a very poor state. Back in 2005 it was the poorest state basically. The drugs made a lot of people rich. That's great. Real great.
Yeah. I'm from Maine.
Peee. Nobs.caught. pee.nobs.caught!!!
Well, the last paper mill just closed in Rumford and there's TONS of hydropower there for server farms, bitcoin mining, and green manufacturing. Fingers crossed someone comes in with green jobs & training
Love the season’s winter is long however there is a lot of fun outdoor activities.. Maine is definitely one of the beautiful states in the entire country thousands and thousands of lakes in a beautiful ocean… The downfall is highly taxed over regulations..
I live alone in skowhegan Maine and make only 41500 a year, I do fine. It's how you manage your funds, period.
Maine is poor because it is a very large state with a very small, old population. The size matters, because that's how far the infrastructure has to cover. The small population matters because that is who has to pay for this huge territory. The "old" matters, because that is where we've lost income taxes, and gained social support systems. I'm old and live in Maine; it is always financially touch and go. Thank goodness I have my own home (so far.)
remember to sign up for the property tax freeze & apply for the tax adjustment for low-income seniors.
My heart is in Solon ME. The beauty and the people are second to none.
@@ericcabral4799 idk about that buddy lol I lived there for quite a few years. Yeah the people are kind, but Solon is a dump unfortunately.
@that207guy7 not only is it not a dump, it's got a lot of money injected in it.
I lived in Maine for three years during the late '90s working as a Traveling Operating Room Nurse. Worked up & down the coast at small hospitals & clinics but also worked at Maine Medical Center. I loved the entire state but haven't been back since 1999.
I moved to Aroostook county this year. Caribou is a wonderful place, adorable and safe.
Go to Jade Palace and say Hi to Tony for me!
Also have a Volcano Bowl for me too!
I lived there in the late 1970"s it was much nicer then.
We all may not be rich but we live the richest lives ❤
All of this is spot on. But still Maine is so beautiful ❤️
Thank you,I am considering a move to Maine from Illinois and always love your content.
Don't do it. I'm transplant Cost of Living is absurd! Rent/housing is outlandish since covid, electricity, LP, fuel oil, and gasoline is outrageous for income levels available. $0.50 per gallon carbon tax on gasoline, all in its almost $1 per gallon taxes. Very few good paying jobs, internet speed and reliability is currently Questionable at best if you plan to work remote. Though there is fiber coming in it's a slow process.
I used to live in Skowhegan, and now I live in Bath, so I found this video especially interesting.
Much of the high value property in Maine is owned by out of staters from Massachusetts yet their taxes lean heavily on state residents (income and sales taxes). the residents are priced out of the real estate market yet they work in the service sector to cater to the out of staters.
Small towns in Maine are 3 digit populations. My town is 575 North of Caribou.
Many Southern New Englanders moving to Maine.. as their States become crowded, and lose t heir beauty. Maine is beautiful, rustic, and the best of the outdoor States in New England.
It is quickly being ruined by the Mills administration. Solar panels and windmills are hideous and do not reduce our energy costs.
They are leaving because the cost of living is so high. That's what you get when you vote for more public services.
You missed the Sappi paper mill in Skowhegan which is growing and New Balance has done a big addition in town. You gave a lot of time to the “kneading conference” but missed the Skowhegan fair grounds - which brings a lot of folks to town each August. Skowhegan is right on the Kennebec and is focusing on making that the centerpiece of the town by opening up a white water river park. Tough to hear such a negative report on a town that’s working hard to be a great place for people to visit and spend time…
Interesting... Born in Bangor... in my life I've lived in Bangor, Hampden, Brewer, Old Town, Auburn, Lewiston, Portland, Old Orchard Beach, Skowhegan, and Bingham...
This is just awful we live in poverty because most of us are retired on ssi and thats why we are under the poverty line.
There are a lot of poorer towns in Maine than the ones you listed. Places like Eastport and Millinocket are quite poor because there is no industry in those towns. Towns that used to have major employers that are now gone are generally quite poor with very cheap housing. Just go up into "the county" where pretty much every town is poor or to any former paper mill town. Also if you drive along the coast on highway 1 past Schoodic you won't find any actually prosperous towns. Of the towns you picked, Bath has one of the largest employers in the state (Bath Iron Works). In fact Bath Iron Works is the largest single site employer in Maine and most workers there make decent money.
These were the seven communities with the lowest median household income, according to The Census Bureau.
@@StuckInTheKernfield I think you only looked at larger towns. There are quite a few poorer small towns. Also, poor is relative since you also have to factor in cost of living and particularly housing. For example, along the coast up Bar Harbor you could be poor with a $100K household income because of the very high cost of housing. When your property taxes on the family home are $15K-$20K a year you need a lot more income to just survive than when you live in a town with $150K homes.
This state is just locked in some Twilight zone movie. It hates to change and so that goes for the people as well. The mind set is here is drinking and smoking cigarettes and drinking,oh did I already say that!?. Mind alternating.😵💫🚭
My mother's family is from Eastport area I remember when there was sardine factories in eastport and Pembroke and the government made them shut down the fishing was unbelievable back then then they brought in the salmon pens and things picked up there was work and then the government shut down the salmon pens it's crazy!
It’s funny that the thumbnail used is Yarmouth Maine and is not on the list. Others are correct you picked larger towns. Many small towns have less.
I live in Cherryfield, Maine and every single place in this video has it way, WAAAAYYYYY better than we do. This place is a broke joke.
Best thing about Gardner is it's proximity to Augusta, which is a great stable employment Mecca being the state capital. Also even closer is Hollowell, which is a cultural and arts community and UMA, which is the cheapest place around to get a 4 year jazz degree. Catch the students playing in local bars in Gardner. All of these communities are good places. most mainers have never been to Caribou though. Skowhegan aka SkowVegas Skowhegan is trashy. Bangor Brewer is a specialty town for the forestry industry and not much more. It's separate from the rest of the state and it feels that way. Hard to say anything bad about it but still. Good college in that area. Belfast is nice and up-and-coming and cheap. Need a quick job? Move somewhere near Freeport in fall and get a job at L.L. Bean. It's pretty easy to do. Good jobs.
I live in Skowhegan. I feel safe here although there is some crime, mostly related to drugs. It's a nice little town.
@@HotRod12667 used to live there very nice place, but the winters are beyond crazy, I'm from New England but it was too much for me
The druggies commit most of their crimes against each other. If you don't hang out with them your chances of being a victim are very low.
I grew up in Scarborough, loved it and still do
Definitely not a poor town!
Is the thumbnail right there on the water at Saco Biddeford?
I've been to all of the places mentioned in this video. I'm glad my town wasn't mentioned lol. Although some of the towns mentioned surprised me honestly. I thought some of the western towns in the state would have been mentioned.
Bath isn't one of the poorest, the chocolate church is an entertainment venue, come and visit sometime and try going to the interior of the state like Rumford, Litchfield etc.
Love how you pronounce some of the names 😅
I covered Rumford in this video: ruclips.net/video/yXFH7vkJxmc/видео.html
Crime is only sometimes a symptom of poverty, not its "excuse," as you put it. That comment at the end came across as rather simplistic, reductionist. I make my observation from a sociological point of view. There are some towns in Mississippi, for instance, most of them populated by black majorities, living in deep poverty, but with very little crime. As well as there being very little crime, the properties are kept up and everyone knows everyone else. It's the existence of deep, familial bonds and extended friendship bonds in such places, to include Maine, are that makes crime be a much lower indicator of poverty. Crime is more of an indicator of hopelessness and despair experienced by a person, group of people, or society, rather than poverty, in and of itself.
Thank you for your mansplaining. I don't know what I would have done without it.
Maine is considered poor for two reasons. It's at the end of the rainbow, so to speak, isolated from the rest of the country and not much to offer in terms of decent job opportunities because of its disconnect from the rest of the country. Even professional jobs in Maine get about 1/3 to 1/2 of the pay they would bring in other more developed states. The other is taxes, compared to incomes, are among the highest in the country because state government is a big state wannabe with a small state budget. The image at 3:57 is not Bath, it's Brunswick.
Good vid. Know a few of these town and they aren't that bad if not pretty good to chk out.
I was brought up in Caribou and what they don’t tell you is there is no jobs and it is cold as hell if you like the weather it’s the place for you. It was a great place to bring up kids and retire.
My uncle, Warren Pelletier was the jeweler in Caribou for 50 years. My grandfather George was the jeweler in Ashland for 75 years. I love the whole of the County.
My father would have said Pembrook, he left during the depression. Mother was from Eastport her family during prohibition to be able to near her father in jail for running alcohol for Joe Kennedy. My wives mother escaped Northport when she became a WAC went to MA.
Love to vacation there but leave to live better. Most of the town's mention wife or I have relatives.
These towns seem really nice compared to other states
you can sit at a computer and analyze data, but to know the real numbers and way of life of people outside of these larger towns you mentioned. data doesn't show why the jobs aren't available and we can all thank the governments, state and federal for supporting trade agreements that only agreed with the wealthy...thousands of jobs in Maine are gone because of it.. my generation is retiring, and the only thing being passed onto the next gen is construction or medical jobs...
Let’s not forget the PFAS chemicals from paper mill sludge that farmers dumped all over the land, contaminating the water and soil forever. But who needs regulations, right?
Chlorobenzene and harsh chemicals were being improperly disposed of by Eastland Woolen Mill in Corinna, Maine. It was a Superfund site. My Mom died of cancer. It was the water she was consuming while working at the mill that killed her. Many others in my small hometown passed of cancer, too. No regulations or if there were they obviously weren't followed. This aches my heart.
I live in Maine and you didn’t even scrape the surface. Most the towns you mentioned are some of the better off small towns in Maine lol
Me: Moved to Gardiner.
My landlord after I'd already signed a lease: I need you to sign this too. The walls are filled with lead.
How in the world did Rumford not end up on this list? I live 20 miles from Rumford and the entire city is one big slum (with beautiful old buildings rotting before your eyes) as a result of the decline of the papermills in the area.
They have HUGE rates of drug misuse and childhood poverty. The last mill just closed there and once you leave town to the north, there's not cell signal until you hit Canada in 3+ hours.
Then there's Machias, "Of the 101 towns in the state with available data, Machias ranks as the poorest. The typical Machias household earns just $20,333 a year, 67.8% less than the statewide median household income. Given the low incomes, it is not surprising that a larger than average share of residents live in poverty."
Is there a reason you didn't consider Perry, Maine? Approximate Population: 1,492 / Percentage of Population Living Below the Poverty Level: 35.1%
I covered communities with a population of 5000 or more, so Perry and Machias were smaller than what I reviewed. Most tiny communities lack a diverse economy. As for Rumford, their median household income is $39522, according to The Census Bureau, so it's not as poor as the ones I did cover. If you want to hear my thoughts on Rumford, I covered it in my video on the worst northeastern states.
My Grandpa was a co- owner of shoe company in Maine that Dexter shoe Company stole from him by undercutting prices so he had to walk away.
I find it hard to believe that Caribou is the only poor town in Aroostook county. Did you look at Ft. Fairfield, Limestone, Easton? Iirc those were pretty poor towns.
You just listed the biggest towns in maine. I wounder if there is a corelation
Surprised that Calais wasn't one or Vanceboro or Meddybumps
An older population and a lot of people who won't work. An incredibly beautiful state but it hurts itself.
It doesn’t help that we get shafted by taxes
This seemed more like a tourist video, most of the towns mentioned all have a significant business "Skowhegan" for example has "sappi" large papermill, many of the surrounding communities aren't as well off. Many western Maine towns, and nortern Maine towns should be on this list.
Question WHERE did you get your info??? I can tell you a couple of your picks are NOT the poorest in Maine. So curious where you got these.
From the U S. Census Bureau
I moved to Maine in 2017 I love it here.
I moved here in 2023 and I also love it
I lived in Gardner, it was delightful.
Try Eastern Kentucky. Over 40% below the poverty level.
Not sure why Eastport isn't on the list
Gardiner also floods regularly from the kennebec river side. Most of what was shown is 3' under.
You need a new editor. A pic that's supposed to be in Bath is actually Topsham / Brunswick
I have a tiny channel that doesn't make much money, and editors don't like to work for free, so it's just me, myself and I.
Even though I would NEVER move to Maine, I will thank you for your over the top efforts again!... :)
Maine if you're born here, you can't afford to live here, and you can't afford to leave stop trying to profit off our misery!
But as a born in caribou member food gas and lack of medical and dental and lack of animal care till Bangor 3 hr south so we have a hospital but not all that good but the land it beautiful see Canada arocoss the St.John and lot of nice people
My uncle, Warren Pelletier was the jeweler in Caribou for 50 years. My grandfather George was the jeweler in Ashland for 75 years. I love the whole of the County.
Anything south of Bangor is liberal..Northern more Constitutional Conservative.. i lived in St Francis and 40 year's later I still miss my time up there . Absolutely Beautiful
I want to add, the largest segment of the population in Caribou is the baby boomer generation. Therefore, a lot of persons living in Caribou Maine are retired or going to be retired. Caribou being on this list, should honestly say more about how much pay we receive during retirement. There are roughly 6,316 adults in Caribou and 1,979 of them are seniors. 31.33% of the residents there are seniors.
I’m from Brewer. All my relatives live in the County.
☘ Irish Honey Badger - Yikes, auto-excise tax is Greed beyond survival 😉
I am 30 min from Brewer, she mispronounced Orono. Good video overall.
The Penobscot didn’t lose their land, it was stolen
....grew up in York.... ridiculously crowded during tourest season. All locals avoid Rt.1 at all costs!!
Your Maine picture with the headline is of Yarmouth. NOT a poor town.
It's the state of Maine. That's what I was going for.
lmao, the way you pronouced Orono. ya never mentioned the quality of education a child can have here. and the good common sense to stretch that penny to a dollar, well thats a maine secret i aint sharing.
I grew up in Topsham, I enjoyed my 18 years there but I enjoy living in MA much more. (1) better job market (why I never went back after college) (2) people lack diversity of experiences, many live in the same area they grew up in (3) as an ambitious person I wanted to be around other like minded people, Maine is not a fit for that
I lived in Old Town for 30 plus years after seeing this I now Realize I was the richest man in that town. No wonder I was so disliked, but I was respected. I made a fortune in that town. Selling cars selling tires Collission and auto body rust work. I moved there from California, but a lot of stats. In this information about these small towns in Maine other than illogistics are wrong. You got your numbers right lady.But when it came to the homeless and real poverty Areas around the state you away off the mark.
Those are the nicest poorest areas of Maine.
The old saying is “you’ll never get rich working for someone “.
Define poorest? When I think poor I certainly don't think of these towns on the list. I was born and raised in central Maine, lived here for 49 years, earned a 4 year college degree in Maine and have been a Maine Realtor for 21 years. With all due respect, you pronounced Orono incorrectly.
I said in the video that these are the places with the lowest median household income. And I'm hooked on phonics, so I pronounce all of the letters. 🤷🏼♀️
😂 I live in Maine, and you’re telling me that Old town is number 1?? I’m sorry, but what about Hartland or Saint Albans or Somerset county in general? You know what I’ve seen? Some people not even living in homes in those areas, living in essentially trap houses (no heat, wouldn’t pass a code inspection.) There are poorer towns than what you just mentioned.
Caribou is second? Surprised.
Maine hides sheriff's of Lincoln County attacking church for 5 nights with high tech laser weapons cruel unusual torture
I call BS on Bath. With Bath Iron Works right there I doubt that the town is all that poor.
Income in Maine has not kept up with prices.. accounting jobs still pay $20.00 an hour. Thats 1980s wages and rents 1600 a month minimum. Do the math.
Add in the rich have bought everything with out of state wages. Better be a millionaire to live here.. no senior housing so we cant sell..
They talk about hell freezing over… Hell did freeze over it’s called maine
Er?
Rumford?
Let's call it cashless by choice, we in Maine pay the bills and when that's done why do more , to purchase more junk you don't need? Ya.we good here 🌬✌️hi frm Me.
Maine hides attack on church by Lincoln County sheriff's using high tech lasers for 5 nights
If you make 100k plus a year you will like new england if you dont stay far away.
Gardener is a dump, don’t look at the stats, I grew up there.
hmm I thought calias was
Should be titled.... poorest PRETTY towns in Maine...
BOOOOOOOOO! You missed so many ACTUALLY impoverished towns. You actually chose some of the BEST towns in Maine. You were starting to scratch the surface with Skowtown.
Skow Vegas
Sure, it’s pretty, but you can’t eat the scenery. Good luck finding a job outside of McDonalds.
You know nothing about Maine.
Bath homes are the most overpriced in the state. With the second largest employer in the state Bath in unattainable for most plebs.
Because of GOATROPERS !
Orono is pronounced oar- on- oh
The RUclips comments section, where brain cells go to die.
🤣🤣🤣
I know I live here
Maine is very overrated very flat