Some things to know before moving here
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2/21/2016
I was born and raised here, lived here until the age of thirty, and I have just moved back after living elsewhere for the past decade. What brought me back was my search for a smaller city with a sense of community and a vibrant culture, and the fact that I still have family here. These things being stated, besides from seeing my family, I still haven't found what I am looking for. The food scene is great and there are ample choices, though many restaurants are expensive. The cost of living here is high because there is a lack of housing and a lack of area to build additional housing. There are also regulations in place to preserve historic areas and keep current ocean views for buildings already in existence, which is great but also contributes to a lack of new construction. Unless you have skills that you can take with you such as you're a nurse, lawyer, doctor, accountant, etc., you will find there are low paying jobs here and not that many to choose from. This is not a place where industries are coming to due to the economic environment. Also, I find the people here to be, well, strange. I'm not referring to the large population of mentally-ill homeless people that you will find throughout the city. I find people in general tend to be reserved, passive agressive, and down right unfriendly. There is also something about the people in general that just seems a little off. While Portland is a liberal city, people are not as open-minded as one would expect. There is an art scene here which is quite good. There's a symphony and a ballet company. What I do like about the area is that people tend to live healthy lifestyles. There is a trail system through the city and you will find areas to bike and run. Also, you are more likely to find fine quality, local handmade products instead of massed produced items from a lot of big boxed stores. Overall, I think this is a great place to visit, with all the naturally beautiful scenic areas and the small quaint inns and shops, but I wouldn't recommend moving here to outsiders. Read some of the other reviews on this site. They are a fairly accurate representation of the area.
Charlotte | Portland, ME