Maine Communities
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Maine is an area with great diversity and has always had a reputation for its exceptional quality of life, strong work ethic, and rich industrial heritage. Maine’s biggest city carries on that tradition witha modern day flair.
With over 240,000 residents, the area surrounding Portland is home to nearly 20% of Maine’s total population and workforce. It’s easy to see why. The economy has never been stronger or more vibrant. Once again named one of the very best states in the nation to raise children, along with many other awards, Maine, and the Greater Portland region is a safe, healthy and excity place to live.
Ranked fourth in the 1998 book, The 100 Best Small Art Towns in America, Portland supports a vibrant community of visual and performing artists not to mention an incredible night scene. Portland’s most recent accolade includes a number 14 ranking on the Miliken Institute’s coveted “Best Performing Cities Index” and it is the only northeastern city to make the top 20. The city also holds many other national awards. Inc. Magazine has also named the Portland Metro Region one of the top twenty-five places in the US in which to do business. This exclusive list ranks more than 270 large, medium and small cities.
Information on local comminites in Southern Maine includes an area overview, complete with links to city servies; school profiles; and updated home sales statistics.
Comprehensive Community Resources:
More and more companies are making Greater Portland area home. As the newcomers move in, they find the information and assistance offered by the Greater Portland Chamber of Commerce indispensable. The Chamber serves seven communities: Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, Falmouth, Portland, Scarborough, South Portland, and Westbrook. Most of these areas are profiled here, with more details available at MaineHomeConnection. As you discover just how special this area is, we sincerely hope you will visit us and see for yourself how Maine and Greater Portland is the place to develop a fine career and raise a family.
Portland
Portland is an old seacoast town. It is also a funky city filled with galleries, one-of-kind boutiques and shops, and incredible restaurants serving everything from traditional New England clam chowder to nouveau cuisine. Portland is the banking capital of northern New England, home to major international law firms, import/export companies, and modern high-rise office buildings. Portland stands as one of the few working waterfronts left in the United States, acting as New England´s largest tonnage seaport and second largest fishing port.
South Portland
Portland’s neighbor across the Fore River, South Portland is Maine’s second largest city. Incorporated in 1898,the city has played a major role in the history of the region and the country. Situated strategically at the entrance to Portland Harbor, it has a long shipbuilding history. In WWII Liberty Ships were constructed at what is today a marina and residential condominiums. The economy of South Portland is vibrant and such companies and organizations as Fairchild Semiconductor, National Semiconductor, the Portland Jetport and the Maine Mall all call the city home.
Cape Elizabeth
Cape Elizabeth is a spectacular coastal jewel with gorgeous state parks and stunning views of Casco Bay and Portland. Locally known as the Cape, it is a 97 percent residential town with the most parkland and permanently open space in Cumberland County. Cape Elizabeth began as part of Portland but became its own town in 1765. Its long history becomes apparent on scenic drives through neighborhoods perched on cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The Cape is also home to Crescent Beach State Park and to the nation’s first lighthouse, Portland Head Light, located in historic Fort Williams State Park.
Falmouth
Falmouth encompasses 32 square miles and is home to growing retail areas that attract shoppers from neighboring towns. The town of Falmouth includes the neighborhood of Falmouth Foreside, which stretches along the coast with elegant homes and cottages. Another area, West Falmouth, is rural, rolling farmland with centuries-old homesteads. Falmouth is the fourth-fastest growing town in Maine that was first settled in the 1600s and received its first recognition as a town in 1658. Falmouth´s schools are ranked as some of the best in the state.
Scarborough
Eight miles from Portland, Scarborough is both a diverse residential area and a booming business locale. The town itself stretches from the sandy beaches of Pine Point and Higgins Beach all the way across the largest salt marsh in Maine to rural West Scarborough. The fifty-four square mile town contains six distinct villages. Scarborough is Maine’s second fastest growing community with 36 percent residential growth in the past 10 years. Recent new house and condominium construction has given the town’s 18,000 residents plenty to choose from when the time comes to find a home.