MA → ME
Moving from Massachusetts to Maine
More than half of the relocation buyers Bill works with come from Massachusetts. The trade is usually clear: lower cost, more space, and a coast that still feels like a coast — in exchange for snow and a longer drive to Logan.
The honest trade
You gain housing affordability (especially relative to the North Shore and Merrimack Valley), a working coastline, real seasons, lower auto insurance, and a quieter daily rhythm. You give up airport proximity, Boston-level restaurant density, and a guaranteed mild winter. Most buyers find the trade lopsided in Maine's favor — but the right answer depends on your job, your family, and how often you actually use Logan.
Where MA buyers land most
North Shore and Merrimack Valley buyers most often land in Kennebunk, Wells, York, Saco, or Scarborough — under two hours from where they started, with measurably more space, light, and coast. Boston Metro West buyers more often choose Portland, South Portland, or Scarborough for proximity to the Jetport and faster Boston rail/road access via Saco.
- •Median home: Lower in Southern Maine, often by 20–35%
- •Auto insurance: Routinely lower
- •Property tax: Comparable, varies by town in both states
- •Income tax: Both states tax income; rates differ
- •Daily traffic: Materially lighter in Southern Maine
Town shortlist
Where this plays out, town by town.
York County
Kennebunk
Top pick for North Shore relocators.
Explore Kennebunk
York County
Wells
Beach + Amtrak access to Boston.
Explore Wells
York County
York
Closest 'real' Maine to MA border.
Explore York
York County
Saco
Downtown + train; biggest value swing.
Explore Saco
Cumberland County
Scarborough
Family schools + 15 min to Portland.
Explore Scarborough
Cumberland County
Portland
City living without Boston pricing.
Explore PortlandFAQ
Questions buyers ask Bill
Keep reading
More from the relocation guide
Every chapter of the Moving to Southern Maine guide — interlinked so you can shortlist towns the way buyers actually do.
Cost of Living
Cost of Living in Southern Maine (2026)
Southern Maine is more affordable than coastal Massachusetts on almost every household line item — but the housing range is wide, and the towns you shortlist will swing your monthly number more than any other variable.
Read chapterFamilies
Best Towns for Families in Southern Maine
Schools, recreation, and a manageable commute do most of the work for families considering Southern Maine. These towns combine top-rated public districts with family housing you can actually find.
Read chapterBeach Towns
Best Beach Towns in Southern Maine
Southern Maine's beach corridor runs from York up through Scarborough — soft sand, working harbors, and year-round villages that don't board up after Labor Day. Here's how the serious buyer's shortlist actually breaks down.
Read chapterCommuters
Best Commuter Towns Near Portland, Maine
Portland is the gravitational center of Southern Maine — Maine Medical, the Jetport, the Old Port, Idexx, WEX, and a deep professional-services bench. These towns deliver real housing value with manageable commutes.
Read chapterRetire Here
Retiring in Southern Maine
Southern Maine has quietly become one of the East Coast's strongest retirement destinations. Walkable downtowns, the Atlantic, low crime, and MaineHealth's Maine Medical Center draw retirees from across the Northeast.
Read chapterTaxes
Property Taxes in Southern Maine
Property tax in Maine is set municipally. Each town establishes a mill rate — dollars of tax per $1,000 of assessed value — based on its budget and the certified ratio of assessed to market value. Rates vary materially across Southern Maine.
Read chapterWinter
Winter Living in Southern Maine
The most common Massachusetts question is also the easiest one to answer: yes, winter is real, and no, it's not what you think. Coastal Southern Maine is meaningfully milder than inland New England — the Atlantic moderates everything.
Read chapterPlan your Massachusetts-to-Maine move.
Bill Barbin at Keller Williams has helped hundreds of relocation buyers shortlist Southern Maine towns and write winning offers. Start a real conversation — no pressure.