The Best Maine Cities for Your Next Chapter
Compare the Maine cities we cover, from Portland to Bangor, and find the starting point that fits your daily tradeoffs.
Greg, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Greg moved to Maine before it was trendy, stayed when it got crowded, and 28 years later still loves it. He grew up here, went to UMaine, tried Connecticut, and survived eight years in Virginia before eventually packing up and moving back home. He is a former newspaper copy editor, pizza lover (Portland Pie, OTTO, & Cargo regular), and family man. At Snappy Scout, Greg helps newcomers decode Maine, a place that plays by its own rules and usually keeps them to itself.
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
Which Maine City Fits You?
The inside scoop on each city's vibe, housing, and the stuff locals swear by.
Portland
Portland is perfect for: walkable life, breweries, steady jobs, salty breezes
Best known for: lighthouses, lobster, and restaurants you actually revisit
City as a personality: tattooed barista with a sailboat and MBA
Locals live here because: career options, coastal calm, restaurants that remember you
Nothing's more Portland than: strangers pushing your car out of a snowbank
Bangor
Bangor, perfect for: space to breathe, cheaper houses, northern gateway vibes
Well known for: Stephen King sightings and Waterfront concert nights
Bangor in human form is: friendly neighbor with snowblower and endless dad jokes
Move here for: affordability, airport convenience, slower pace, easy parking
Locals swear by: high school basketball, UMaine hockey, and Whoopie pie debates
Augusta
Augusta is perfect for: policy nerds, quick commutes, quiet neighborhoods
Widely recognized as the place for: statehouse hustle and diner-fueled negotiations
If Augusta were a person, it'd be: practical civil servant with a pickup you can use
Locals live here because: government jobs, central base, easy school dropoffs
Locals know best: Kennebec River walks and relentless yard sale circuits
Lewiston-Auburn
Lewiston-Auburn is perfect for: families wanting space, commuters, mill grit, cheap eats
Best known for: twin city pride, Franco roots, cultural diversity
Lewiston-Auburn in human form is: blue collar poet carrying lunch pail and latte
Move here if you want: cheaper mortgages, quick commutes, hardworking neighbors
Nothing's more Lewiston-Auburn than: La Rencontre chatter and high school hockey
Biddeford-Saco
Biddeford-Saco, perfect for: creatives chasing lofts, families eyeing beaches
Well known for: revived mills, Franco-American heritage, salty morning air
If Biddeford-Saco were a person, it'd be: former car salesperson turned startup founder
Move here for: commuter access, ocean breezes, decent prices
Locals know best: Pizza By Alex takeout, Palace Diner breakfasts
Brunswick
Brunswick is perfect for: culture vultures, sailors, stroller brigades, quiet evenings
Widely recognized as the place for: Bowdoin brainpower and calm coastal routines
City as a personality: cardiganed professor who sails on Saturdays
Locals live here because: schools, village vibe, rail station convenience
Locals swear by: farmers market chatter and Wild Oats Bakery
Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor is perfect for: seasonal hustle, selling to cruise ship passengers, winter hush, granite calves, and the best coffee you'll ever drink.
Best known for: island living, majestic estates called summer cottages, and stubbornly scenic commutes
Bar Harbor in human form is: A fit, heavily tattooed park ranger with a degree in architectural design, moonlighting as a bartender
Move here if you want: to see the snow kiss the ocean, tight community, seasonal work, stargazing nights
Nothing's more Bar Harbor than: a Volvo parked next to a Range Rover parked next to a BMW next to a 2007 Subaru.
Browse Our Detailed Maine City Moving Guides
Eating Like a Local in Maine
Forget your grinder, sub sandwich, or hoagie. This form of nourishment is called "an Italian." Hot or cold. Open-faced or closed. It's an Italian. Meatball sandwich? Meatball Italian. Veggie grinder? Veggie Italian. Italian sub? You guessed it: Italian Italian.
— Greg Reid
Maine Local Expert
Ready to See If Maine Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full Maine guide for the bigger picture.