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Sadie R.
moving
Moving to Bangor for work -advice?
Been meaning to ask this. I'm a teacher here and It's not perfect, but the community is solid.
4 upvotes
14 Replies
Violet Moore
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 3 years ago from Nashville and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. We're paying /mo for a 4-bed in Highland. It's average for what you get.
Jobs: The market is reasonable right now, especially in government. If you're in manufacturing you might struggle.
People: Generally hit or miss. It took about 13 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: hit or miss. Tons of options if you like Mexican.
Feel free to reach out with questions..
Housing: It's gotten pricier but still beats the coasts. We're paying /mo for a 4-bed in Highland. It's average for what you get.
Jobs: The market is reasonable right now, especially in government. If you're in manufacturing you might struggle.
People: Generally hit or miss. It took about 13 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: hit or miss. Tons of options if you like Mexican.
Feel free to reach out with questions..
40 upvotes
Greyson D.
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value weather, you'll love it. The outdoor recreation is genuinely surprisingly good and I've found the quality of life is solid. My neighborhood (Springfield) is reasonable and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from LA, be prepared for the culture shock. dating scene is completely different here. And Property taxes are high.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
If you value weather, you'll love it. The outdoor recreation is genuinely surprisingly good and I've found the quality of life is solid. My neighborhood (Springfield) is reasonable and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from LA, be prepared for the culture shock. dating scene is completely different here. And Property taxes are high.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
38 upvotes
Cooper Scott
100%
26 upvotes
Jameson Miller
The food scene here is tough. Tons of great BBQ places. the quality of life is solid.
23 upvotes
Hailey Martin
I'm a pharmacist and I've found it exceeded my expectations. The community is decent and there's always something going on.
23 upvotes
Clara G.
thanks for sharing
22 upvotes
Clara J.
OK I'm going to write a proper review because I've seen too many incomplete answers.
Background: I'm a nurse, 39, moved here 4 years ago from San Francisco. I've lived in Uptown and Meadowbrook, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Growing food and restaurant scene
2. Decent public transit for the size
3. Affordable housing options
4. The people are generally decent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Not very walkable outside downtown
2. Far from beaches/mountains
3. The outdoor recreation situation is wild and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Uptown: Great for young professionals. solid vibes, walkable.
- Meadowbrook: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from San Francisco, everything felt average. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are pricey. Gas is manageable. You can live comfortably on $50K-$80K here.
**Final verdict:**
Happy to answer more specific questions.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
Background: I'm a nurse, 39, moved here 4 years ago from San Francisco. I've lived in Uptown and Meadowbrook, and traveled to most parts of the metro.
**What I love:**
1. Growing food and restaurant scene
2. Decent public transit for the size
3. Affordable housing options
4. The people are generally decent - I found my community within the first year
**What I don't love:**
1. Not very walkable outside downtown
2. Far from beaches/mountains
3. The outdoor recreation situation is wild and doesn't seem to be improving
**Neighborhoods I'd recommend:**
- Uptown: Great for young professionals. solid vibes, walkable.
- Meadowbrook: More affordable, family-friendly.
**Neighborhoods I'd avoid:**
- Without naming names, stay away from areas east of downtown until you know the city better.
**Cost comparison:**
Coming from San Francisco, everything felt average. Rent is about /mo. Groceries are pricey. Gas is manageable. You can live comfortably on $50K-$80K here.
**Final verdict:**
Happy to answer more specific questions.. It's not perfect - nowhere is - but for the price point and quality of life, it's hard to beat. DM me if you have specific questions.
22 upvotes
George T.
My experience has been mostly positive. I genuinely enjoy living here. The only thing I'd watch out for is community vibe. Other than that, Would recommend to anyone considering it..
15 upvotes
Emily P.
Renting here right now, paying about /mo for a 1-bedroom. there are trade-offs but the good outweighs the bad. Compared to Minneapolis it's solid.
13 upvotes
Sadie Nelson
Alright, I'll give you the full rundown since I see a lot of surface-level answers here.
I've been in Midtown for 11 years. Moved from Boston for school. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is pretty good. We bought in 2020 at k and it's now worth up significantly than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 2-bed in a safe area. Older homes are where the value is.
**Employment:**
legal is strong here. government is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are manageable for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
I'm still on the fence after all this time. The outdoor scene is solid - we have ski resorts within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. Midtown schools are improving. If you have kids, this should be your number one factor in choosing a neighborhood.
**The Bad:**
I'd be lying if I said everything is great. Traffic during rush hour is rough. Nightlife is limited. And weather can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For retirees, I'd say this is a 5/10. Would recommend to anyone considering it.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
I've been in Midtown for 11 years. Moved from Boston for school. Here's my honest, detailed take:
**Housing:**
The market right now is pretty good. We bought in 2020 at k and it's now worth up significantly than that. If you're renting, expect /mo for a decent 2-bed in a safe area. Older homes are where the value is.
**Employment:**
legal is strong here. government is hit or miss. If you're remote, you'll love the cost of living. Average salaries are manageable for the area.
**Quality of Life:**
I'm still on the fence after all this time. The outdoor scene is solid - we have ski resorts within easy driving distance. Dining has gotten so much better in the past few years.
**Schools (if relevant):**
Varies hugely by district. Midtown schools are improving. If you have kids, this should be your number one factor in choosing a neighborhood.
**The Bad:**
I'd be lying if I said everything is great. Traffic during rush hour is rough. Nightlife is limited. And weather can be frustrating.
**Bottom line:**
For retirees, I'd say this is a 5/10. Would recommend to anyone considering it.. Feel free to ask specific questions - happy to help.
12 upvotes
tucson_eleanor
big facts right here
11 upvotes
Dylan R.
Real talk - this place is not for everyone, and I think that's OK.
If you value pet-friendliness, you'll love it. The dating scene is genuinely surprisingly good and I've found it exceeded my expectations. My neighborhood (Meadowbrook) is competitive and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Miami, be prepared for the culture shock. outdoor recreation is completely different here. And Traffic during rush hour is rough.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
If you value pet-friendliness, you'll love it. The dating scene is genuinely surprisingly good and I've found it exceeded my expectations. My neighborhood (Meadowbrook) is competitive and I feel safe walking around at night.
But if you're coming from Miami, be prepared for the culture shock. outdoor recreation is completely different here. And Traffic during rush hour is rough.
My advice would be to visit for at least a week before committing. Rent first, don't buy. And explore multiple neighborhoods - they're all different.
6 upvotes
Silas Edwards
Weather-wise, the summers are surprisingly good and winters are stable. You get used to it after the first year.
5 upvotes
Joseph Thompson
OK so I've been meaning to write this for a while. I moved here 6 years ago from San Francisco and here's my honest breakdown:
Housing: The market is competitive but not impossible. We're paying /mo for a 1-bed in Oak Park. It's better than expected for what you get.
Jobs: The market is growing right now, especially in construction. If you're in legal you might struggle.
People: Generally average. It took about 14 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: decent. Tons of options if you like Mediterranean.
It's not for everyone but it works for us..
Housing: The market is competitive but not impossible. We're paying /mo for a 1-bed in Oak Park. It's better than expected for what you get.
Jobs: The market is growing right now, especially in construction. If you're in legal you might struggle.
People: Generally average. It took about 14 months to build a solid friend group.
Food: decent. Tons of options if you like Mediterranean.
It's not for everyone but it works for us..
2 upvotes