Community. Natural beauty. Opportunity. Momentum. These 12 Maine towns — from coastal villages to mountain hamlets to the state capital — just might have what you’re looking for in your next home base. (Anyway, it’s fun to daydream.)
Population, income, age, and poverty data come from the most recent U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey. Walk Score (walkscore.com) awards scores based on an assessment of a community’s walkability. GreatSchools (greatschools.org) rates Maine institutions based on publicly reported standardized test scores; Down East has calculated an average of ranked elementary, middle, and high schools, public and private. All of these stats provide only a generalized snapshot of a community and a starting point for further research, and factors like walkability can vary substantially from one area of town to the next.