Best Places To Raise A Family In Maine For 2020

If you've never taken your family on a ferry ride from Portland to Peaks Island, on a snowboarding trip to Auburn's Lost Valley, or had a lobstah' feast in Bar Harbor, then you've not witnessed what the good people of Maine already know; they have some of the most family friendly fun in America.

And if that family friendly fun is something you want for your family full time, then HomeSnacks recommends that you take a peek at our top ten best places to raise a family in Maine for 2020. How did we do it? We consulted the US Census on places in The Pine Tree State with more than 5,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 27 family friendly cities.

Our conclusion, Maine has a safe, affordable, family friendly places to live for every type of family on any type of budget. For instance, places like Cumberland are great for families just starting out, places like Freeport are every outdoorsy family's dream, and places like Biddeford are great for families that don't need to worry about a budget. Now don't count yourselves out of the mix, parents. There are plenty of available jobs in Maine: they have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. And with a $58,000/year household median income to work with, there's plenty of cheddar to keep your family happy, healthy, and having fun.

Want to know where your family can live in Maine without breaking the bank? Read on.

In all family friendly seriousness, Maine has some of the best schools in the country. Blue Ribbon elementary schools, gold star high schools, and colleges like University of Maine in Orono and the Colby College in Waterville have been delivering the next generation to work at major Maine companies like L.L. Bean and Pioneer Plastics.

So, want to know where you can live in Maine and still have extra cash to enjoy the fun, family things that Maine has to offer? That would be Yarmouth.

To see how your favorite family friendly place in Maine compared, take a look at the list below; and if you don't see it there, head to the bottom.

Check out some more reading about Maine and the best places for families in the country:

• Best Places To Live In Maine
• Cheapest Places To Live In Maine
• Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
• Best States To Raise A Family In America

The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Maine For 2020

1. Yarmouth

Source: Wikipedia User Dudesleeper | GFDL

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 5,608
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 56
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 26.4%
More on Yarmouth: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data

Yarmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, located twelve miles north of the state's largest city, Portland. The town was settled in 1636 and incorporated in 1849. Its population was 8,349 in the 2010 census. As of 2015's estimation, this is about 0.6% of Maine's total population.

2. Gorham

Source: Wikipedia User | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 6,711
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 55
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 26.6%
More on Gorham: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data

Gorham is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 16,381 at the 2010 census. The 2012 estimate of Gorham's population was 16,667. In addition to its urban village center known as Gorham Village or simply "the Village," the town encompasses a number of smaller, unincorporated villages and hamlets with distinct historical identities, including South Gorham, West Gorham, Little Falls, White Rock, and North Gorham. Gorham is home to one of the three campuses of the University of Southern Maine. In 2013, Gorham was voted second best town in Maine after Hampden by a financial website.

3. Gardiner

Source: Public domain

Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 5,667
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 60
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 28.2%
More on Gardiner: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data

Gardiner is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 5,800 at the 2010 census. Popular with tourists, Gardiner is noted for its culture and old architecture. Gardiner is included in the Augusta, Maine micropolitan New England City and Town Area.

4. Kennebunk

Source: Wikipedia User John Phelan | CC BY 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 5,809
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 44
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 21.9%
More on Kennebunk: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data

Kennebunk is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 10,798 at the 2010 census. Kennebunk is home to several beaches, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, the 1799 Kennebunk Inn, many historic shipbuilders' homes, the Brick Store Museum and the Nature Conservancy Blueberry Barrens, with 1,500 acres of nature trails and blueberry fields.

5. Bath

Source: Wikipedia User | GFDL

Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 8,320
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 49
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 27.9%
More on Bath: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data

Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. The population was 8,514 at the 2010 census, and 8,357 as of 2013, the population has had a change of -10.2% since 2000. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County, which includes one city and 10 towns. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its 19th-century architecture. It is home to the Bath Iron Works and Heritage Days Festival, held annually on the Fourth of July weekend. It is commonly known as "The City of Ships." Bath is part of the metropolitan statistical area of Greater Portland.

6. Belfast

Source: Wikipedia User | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

8
/10

Population: 6,696
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 59
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 27.2%
More on Belfast: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data

Belfast is a city in Waldo County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,668. Located at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River estuary on Penobscot Bay, Belfast is the county seat of Waldo County. The seaport has a wealth of antique architecture in several historic districts, and remains popular with tourists.

7. Rockland

Source: Wikipedia User The original up | GFDL

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 7,190
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 51
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 23.7%
More on Rockland: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data

Rockland is a city in Knox County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 7,297. It is the county seat of Knox County. The city is a popular tourist destination. It is a departure point for the Maine State Ferry Service to the islands of Penobscot Bay: Vinalhaven, North Haven and Matinicus.

8. Topsham

Source: Wikipedia User Royalbroil | CC BY-SA 4.0

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 6,103
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 37
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 22.7%
More on Topsham: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data

Topsham is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 8,784 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. The town is home to the annual Topsham Fair.

9. South Portland

Source: Wikipedia User BMRR | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

8.5
/10

Population: 25,515
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 49
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 26.8%
More on South Portland: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data

South Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state, incorporated in 1898. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,002. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is situated on Portland Harbor and overlooks the skyline of Portland and the islands of Casco Bay. Due to South Portland's close proximity to air, marine, rail, and highway transportation options, the city has become a center for retail and industry in the region.

Review Of South Portland by HomeSnacks User

I have lived here for over 20 years, the town is still great but the character has changed tremendously-very precious and pricey now. I couldn't afford my own neighborhood if I were buying now. Planning to move out in a few years because of it.

We like the lighthouses and beaches. About a dozen unnecessary coffee shops have opened up, which to me only highlights the tedious hipsterism that permeates the town now.

Review Where You Live

10. Orono

Source: Wikipedia User E Julienn | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 9,474
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 50
Closest Major City: Boston
Households with kids: 11.8%
More on Orono: Photos | Homes For Sale | Data

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How do you determine which place is best for families in Maine anyways?

To give you the places in Maine which are best for families, we have to look at a handful of metrics. Of course, we want to measure the type of people who live in each city, and make some assumptions about what's family-friendly and what isn't.

So we researched the internet for a database that contains all that information.

How we crunched the family friendly numbers for the Pine Tree State

We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible. Using U.S. Census data produced for the state of Maine, we looked at every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:

• Crime (Both violent and property)
• Quality of local schools
• Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
• % of households with children
• Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries and colleges)

We then gave each city a Family Score.

The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with populations over 5,000 people. For Maine, that meant a total of 27 cities. You can download the data here.

There You Have It - The Best Places To Raise A Family In Maine

If you're looking for a breakdown of cities in Maine ranked by criteria that most would agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.

Here's a look at the best cities for singles Maine according to the data:

1. Bangor
2. Augusta
3. Old Orchard Beach

For more maine reading, check out:

• Cheapest Places To Live In Maine
• Best Counties To Live In Maine
• Best Places To Live In Maine

Where Are The Best Places For Families In Maine?