Living in Maine Cities and Towns - Bangor, Maine

Bangor, Maine is named for an Irish hymn entitled Bangor. This hymn was supposed to have been the favorite of Pastor Seth Noble who traveled to Boston with the initial intention of naming the town Sunbury.

During the 19th Century, Maines forest provided supplies of lumber that brought wealth to the region. By the 1850s, Bangor was considered the lumber capital of the world and was one of the busiest ports on the East Coast. Bangor was very much engaged in shipbuilding and commerce during these years.

By the twentieth century, the shipbuilding industry was transformed by the steam and steel industries. Bangors sawmills and shipyards gave way to todays dominant forest industry of pulp and paper.

Today, Bangor is the commercial and social center of Northern, Central and Eastern Maine, and is the regions largest center of retail and service businesses. It is also a center for government, education, and employment offering residents a widely diversified economy. Unemployment normally is below both the state and federal rates.

The largest employment categories are in services, wholesale/retail trade, and government. There are also strong employment opportunities in manufacturing, transportation and utilities, construction, finance, insurance, and real estate.

Health care in the area is represented by Eastern Maine Medical Center, St. Josephs Hospital, Acadia Hospital and the Bangor Mental Health Institute.

Cost of Living in Bangor, Maine

It is moderate when compared to the New England Region as a whole. The median single family home sells for approximately $120,000. Two bedroom apartments rent at approximately $550 to $600 per month. This rent often includes heat, water and sewer.

Public water on the average is about $10 per month with public sewer service costing about $30. More rural areas are served by private wells and septic systems. Most of the homes are heated with oil. Prices vary. Electricity in Maine has been deregulated and prices vary with market conditions.

Major taxes in Maine include the local property tax. In Bangor it is about 2.2% of the market value of your property per year. Retail sales tax is 5% with items such as food and medicine exempt.

Transportation

There is easy access to the Main Coast via I-95, and I-395 that connects to State Route 1-A and onto the Maine Coast. Canada is 90 minutes away on State Route 9.

Bangor International Airport offers over 50 flights a day to and from major cities in the Northeast, national and regional hubs, and Florida and the Caribbean.

Inter-city bus services is provided by Concord Trailways and Greyhound with frequent service to Boston and beyond. The services provide direct connections to Amtrak in either Portland, Maine or Boston.

The BAT Community Connector provides local bus service to the communities of Bangor, Brewer, Hampden, Veazie, Orono and Old Town. This service is operated by the City of Bangor and is especially convenient for those who prefer not to rely on private transportation. The BAT serves many of the major employment and activity centers that include Bangor Mall and the University of Maine at Orono.

Augusta, the state capital of Maine, is about an hour away from Bangor. Portland is two hours away. Saint John New Brunswick is three hours away from Bangor. Boston and Montreal are four to five hours from Bangor, Maine.

Climate

Bangor, Maine enjoys four seasons. Temperatures rise into the 70s by late May/early June. Temperatures rarely rise above 90 in the summer. Temperatures gradually cool through October and November with wintry weather returning around Thanksgiving. In December nighttime lows are often below freezing and daytime highs in the 30s and 40s. January and February bring the most of wintry weather. Below zero temperatures are possible but infrequent and rarely last for any length of time.

Snow: Crews normally have the streets plowed and sanded within 6 hours of the end of a storm. Even during the heaviest snowfalls, streets are maintained so essential business can continue. Most school districts in the area plan for three to five snow days per year. It is relatively rare for shops and businesses to close because of snow and the weather.

Winter weather offers a variety of outdoor activities in and near Bangor, Maine that includes ice skating to crossing country skiing, snowmobiling and ice fishing.

In conclusion, Bangor, Maine is a very nice area to live and work.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved

Written by: Connie Limon. For more information about vacationing, living and working in the state of Maine, visit http://smalldogs2.com/VisitingMaine For a variety of FREE reprint articles and other special topic articles visit Camelot Articles at http://www.camelotarticles.com

Living in Massachusetts Cities and Towns - Ashfield, Massachusetts
Ashfiled is a 40 square mile town in the Berkshire foothills situated in the southwestern corner of Franklin County. This town was originally named Huntstown in 1736. It was incorporated under the name of Ashfield in 1765.Ashfield, Massachusetts wa...

Whole Life Insurance: A Part of Parenting?
Alright, purchasing a whole life insurance policy for your child isnt exactly a requirement for good parenting, but the financial benefits of purchasing a whole life insurance policy for your child will not only benefit you regarding expenses in the ...

Picking up and Moving to Europe
As the global economy truly becomes global, moving overseas is more and more common. Europe is at the top of many peoples list.With dozens of affluent, English-speaking countries to live in, moving to Europe is a common and desirable move. Many Ameri...

Things To Keep In Mind When Relocating
The statistics are clear. More of us are relocating at least a couple times in our lives. Given this fact, there are a couple of things you should keep in mind.Any move - whether it be across town or overseas- is time consuming and stressful. With so...

So Fargo, So Good - Town Of The Resilient
Fargo on the eastern border of North Dakota was renamed in honour of the colourful Wells Fargo Express Company founder, William Fargo, after it had originally been known as Centralia. The city sits on the west of the Red River, the State of Minnesota...

How To Pay A Debt Settlement
There is a right and wrong way to pay a debt, and it can make a difference when you start trying to get dings removed from your report.First, don't ever let them know where you work, or where you bank. They have no right to this information, and you...

Living in Massachusetts Cities and Towns - Amesbury, Massachusetts
Amesbury, Massachusetts is a suburban community with an unusual industrial and manufacturing history. The Europeans first settled in Amesbury in 1645. Early industries included: Mills Shipyards Heavily used ferry operation across the Merrimac R...

Living in Massachusetts Towns and Cities - Auburn, Massachusetts
The first permanent settlers in Auburn in 1722 came for land. The community remained primarily a farming town during the 19th century. Improved transportation and expansion of industrial developments in Worchester created a commuting population liv...

Living in Massachusetts Towns and Cities - Abington, Massachusetts
Abington is a small community of approximately 13,000 people. The town is located 12 miles south of Boston and was first settled by European settlers in 1668.During the nineteenth and early twentieth century, the manufacture of boots and shoes was i...

Living in New Hampshire Cities and Towns - Albany, New Hampshire
Albany is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, USA. Albany includes Mount Chocorua, Mount Paugus, and the southeastern corner of the White Mountain National Forest. It is actually the entrance to the Mount Washington Valley, and features a 120 ...