30 Things You Should Know Before Living In Maine
Located way up there in corner, the state of Maine is one America’s finest 50 states. While some may think it’s a Canadian province inhabited by nothing but lobstermen who wrestle bears and asocial LL Bean factory workers, the truth is much more complicated. Before you consider buying a home and taking up residence in The Pine Tree State there are a few things you should know…
1. The beards are real in Maine
It can be very cold in Maine, particularly if you work in the woods or at sea. Such weather makes flannel shirts and a beard reasonable choices befitting the elements. Men in Maine have done this for centuries and will continue to do it in the future long after it’s gone out of style in urban areas.
2. It produces very few NFL players
Given the recent spate of NFL players arrested for violent acts and other criminal transgressions you should feel safe living in a state that’s produced only two current NFL players—6th fewest per capita. Not only that but Vermont’s produced zero and New Hampshire only has one, so you there’s a nice moat protecting Maine from the likes of Aaron Hernandez.
3. Immense beer pong enthusiasm
What Maine lacks in professional athletes it compensates for in enthusiasm for leisure sports involving drinking. Frisbee golf, horseshoes, and cornhole are all popular activities. In addition, the state has the fourth-highest level of enthusiasm for beer pong, an activity in which contestants try to bounce a ping-pong ball into plastic cups, and those who miss are rewarded with a cold, refreshing beer.
4. Nerds are welcome
Given the lack of jocks, perhaps it’s not surprising Maine is a haven for nerds. According to an Estately study, Maine is the 13th nerdiest state in the country, and by far the nerdiest on the Eastern Seaboard. Local residents are particularly enthused about Harry Potter (3rd), Dungeons & Dragons (4th), fantasy literature (5th), Lord of the Rings (7th), and Magic: The Gathering (7th).
5. Safety first
If Maine was a high school, it would be the nice one where you don’t get stuffed in a locker or have your lunch money taken. Between 1990-2014 the state it had the lowest rate of violent crime. It really makes watching the local news a lot less depressing as well.
6. Strange laws
One reason the crime is low could be because Maine drops the hammer on even the smallest infractions. It is illegal to leave your holiday decorations up past January 14th. Is this law enforced or just some old, forgotten law still on the books? Before you leave your lights and inflatable Santa Claus up you better ask yourself one question—”Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?”
7. Cat person paradise
Do you own a sweatshirt with a cat photo printed on the front? Do you crotchet adorable litter box covers for all your feline friends? If so, you will not be alone in Maine. The state was named the #1 State for Cat Lovers for very good reason. It is one of three states with an official state cat (the Maine Coon Cat), it has the second most cat owners—46.4%, and it’s tops for online searches for “cat pics.”
8. It has so many trees
Do you like trees? Like to hug them? Like to build forts in them? Like to cut them up into 2x4s or mash them up into wood pulp to make toilet paper? Well, then Maine is your state. With 85% forest cover, Maine is more forested than any other state in the country.
9. Home to the Umbrella Cover Museum
When Nancy Hoffman found a half dozen umbrella covers in her closet in 1996 she could have tossed them, but she didn’t. Instead she acquired an additional 700 umbrella covers and became a Guinness Book of World Records holder. Not content to stop there she went right on ahead and created the one-of-a-kind Umbrella Cover Museum. If this were New Jersey these umbrella covers would have ended up in a landfill. Perhaps this is why New Jersey is mostly landfills and Maine is completely awesome.
10. Low incarceration rate
Going to jail sucks. Bad food, group showers, getting shanked… it’s the pits. However, in Maine, very few people go to jail. Maybe it’s because they’re nice people, or maybe it’s because their sentencing guidelines aren’t completely insane? Who knows? Whatever the reason there are six times fewer people in state or federal prisons in Maine than there are in top state Louisiana.
11. You can be a pickup basketball star
If you like playing pickup basketball, but your skillset is average at best, Maine is your state to be a star. Deadspin geocoded the “hometowns” of 3,802 NBA and ABA from the Basketball-Reference database and found not a single player had a hometown in Maine. Given these numbers, it’s possible the state might even lower all the rims to eight feet.
12. Great place for a second marriage
Just because the state lacks basketball skills doesn’t mean there’s no rebounding in Maine. The state has the second-highest percentage of divorced people (14.2%), topped only by Nevada’s 14.6%. If you are a divorcee living in New Jersey (and its minuscule 8.6% divorce rate), you might feel like there’s a lack of singles available. Perhaps it’s time to mosey on up north to meet the man or woman of your dreams somewhere amongst the pine forests.
13. Famous Mainers
Most people know that author Stephen King calls Maine home, but do you know who else is from Maine? Actors Judd Nelson and Patrick Dempsey, explorer Robert E. Peary (first to reach the North Pole), and Senator and diplomat George Mitchell all hail from The Pine Tree State. As you can see, the local celebrity population is pretty sparse. Do you think you have what it takes to be Maine’s next celebrity? Does that sound like the worst concept for a reality show ever?
14. Hella potatoes
Maine was once a legendary potato-producing state, and while Idaho has since taken the title the fine state of Maine is still #5 in potato production. Not bad at all for a state that’s primarily forest.
15. First to see the sun rise
All Americans should consider themselves lucky to be there when the sun comes up each day—the alternative is being dead. People in Maine, thanks to its far eastern location—get to see the sun rise first, well before the rest of the country.
16. So many hippies
In an Estately study of which states have the most hippies Maine came in second, right after crunchy old Vermont. Maine has the fifth most communes, the third most co-ops, and the second most Facebook users expressing interest in the Grateful Dead, Phish, and Bob Dylan.
17. Meaning of Maine’s Flag
“Dirigo” is the state motto, meaning “I lead.” The pine tree is a symbol of New England and the star represents the North Star. The two men are Gary (a farmer) and Lenny (a seaman). They are standing guard to protect the moose from any weirdos sneaking across the border from New Hampshire. About 80% of this description is accurate.
18. Lovers of Democracy
In the 2014 general election, Maine had the highest voter turnout of any state. Nearly 55% of registered voters turned in a ballot, which is nearly double that of last-place Indiana. In addition to a ribbon for participation, Maine also gets a trophy for its history of supporting moderate candidates of both parties, as well as independents. It also distributes its electoral votes using a Congressional District Method instead of a traditional winner-take-all method.
19. So much good beer
Maine has the fourth most breweries per capita of any state, so there’s no shortage of craft beer to choose from. To put it in perspective, Mississippi has twice as many people as Maine, yet Maine has ten times more breweries. Learn all about them at the Maine Brewers’ Guild or take a beer tour with Maine Beer Tours.
20. Cheapest auto insurance in America
According to Insure.com, Maine residents have the least expensive car insurance in the country—$805 per year. Compare that to those poor suckers in Michigan, whose average car insurance premiums are a whopping $2,476 annually.
21. You’ll have friends with boats
The only thing better than having your own boat is having a friend with a boat. Since Maine has the fifth-highest rate of boat ownership the odds of making friends with a boat owner are very high. Be careful though, the state is also tops for boating accidents per capita.
22. Save money by being uncharitable
When it comes to being charitable, Maine keeps its wallet closed tight. The state has the third-lowest percentage of charitable contributions in the country—just 2.13% of its adjusted gross income. Still, it’s not as cheap as New Hampshire, which gives a nation worst 1.85%.
23. Facebook humility
Maine is among the most humble of states, at least when it comes to bragging on social media. Just 46% percent of respondents said they boast about themselves on social media—sixth lowest in the country. Compare that to California, where 77% of those polled confessed to bragging and self-promotion on social media.
24. Santa Claus might be coming to town
With the polar ice caps melting it’s only a matter of time before Santa Claus has to relocate. While a bit of a long shot, Maine is the eighth most ideal state for Santa to move to. Maine received high marks due to fantastic reindeer habitat (2nd best), enthusiasm for eggnog (5th best), and expressed Facebook interest in Santa (5th best).
25. Terrifying dreams
It’s no wonder Stephen King, the world’s foremost horror writer, calls Maine home. The subconscious of Maine’s residents is a terrifying place. According to a study by DreamsCloud, a site that helps users find meaning in their dreams, the terms that show up the most in Maine residents’ dream descriptions are screaming, ghost, haunted, laughing, and laugh. If your nightmares consist of running screaming from hysterical clown ghosts then you’ll fit right in here.
26. Clowns in real life
If you think clowns will only appear in your dreams then you better think again. Maine has the second most clowns per capita of any state. When you walk down the street in Maine the clowns walk among you.
27. Land of lobster and pie
Maine is famous for its lobster, but to truly gain insight into its food preferences take a look at the food terms Maine residents Google more than any other state: pie, chicken pot pie, lobster, lobster roll, butter, chowder, brownies, onion rings, hot cross buns, foraging, and vegetarian recipes. It’s possible that a traditional three-course meal in Maine consists of the lobster course, the pie course, and the dessert course. It’s also possible they just combine them all into one glorious lobster pot pie.
28. Very little barbecue
Fresh seafood is bountiful, but the state is largely barren when it comes to good barbecue. It is the fifth least barbecue-crazed state in the country, earning particularly low marks for barbecue restaurants per capita—47th out of all 50 states. If you’re considering moving to Maine, hopefully, it’s because you plan to bring an abundance of smokey ribs and brisket to the people. Please, they are so hungry for a good barbecue.
29. Proximity to Canada
There are lots of great things about living right next to Canada—cheap maple syrup, access to poutine, and the believability of your claim to have a Canadian girlfriend or boyfriend. In addition, Maine’s location will be ideal when the United States inevitably runs out of natural resources and invades Canada. Plus, with climate change eventually making the U.S. portion of North America an uninhabitable desert it will be Mainers who get the first pick of that choice Newfoundland real estate.
30. Speaking of real estate…
If Maine sounds like your kind of place then get searching for a great a home for sale in Maine. Check out Estately.com when searching for a home for sale in Maine.
