Residents of Maine are progressively being priced out of their own state. From housing to daily expenses, citizens find themselves steadily outpaced by rising costs.
Maine residents are increasingly worried about their financial well-being in comparison to last year, with less than 10% feeling as though they are better off, while 56% say they are worse off.
Maine’s home prices surged 110% in the past decade. Median income of Mainers grew only by 53%, highlighting a clear discrepancy between housing prices and wages.
A recent survey reveals that rural Maine voters are changing their minds about government aid because they worry for their stability. Previous surveys from this demographic rejected government intervention. The president of the Center for Rural Strategies commented on this change, saying that “rural voters would like something solid and a plan that acknowledges the tough issues they’re facing, like cost of food, cost of gas.”
Gov. Janet Mills announced her affordability agenda during her final State of the State Address. The majority of the plan’s funding goes towards $300 relief checks, available to approximately 725,000 Maine residents. The agenda also includes funding for housing, both for building and maintaining current projects. The Maine Budget Stabilization Fund will be subsidizing these projects.
Beyond rising costs and housing shortages, Maine residents struggle to trust in the next day. Through a decade of politics, a pandemic, and an ever-shifting world, Maine residents grapple to find stability even within their own homes.
(Related: Maine Home Care Agency Billed $1M in Medicaid Fraud)
