5 Coastal Towns In Maine Retirees Are Flocking To, According To Reddit

Maine's coastline has quietly become one of the most talked-about retirement destinations in America. Rocky shores, lobster shacks, walkable downtowns, and a slower pace are pulling retirees from Boston, New York, and beyond. Maine even offers a property tax freeze for residents 65 and older — a perk that shows up constantly in Reddit retirement threads.

Across r/Maine, r/retirement, and r/SeniorLiving, the same five coastal towns keep getting named. Real communities with genuine character, manageable scale, and everything a well-planned retirement actually needs.

1. Camden — The Jewel of the Maine Coast

What makes it special: Windjammer schooners, Penobscot Bay views, a walkable downtown, and an arts scene that punches well above its weight.

Camden comes up most often in Maine retirement discussions — Redditors call it "the platonic ideal of a Maine coastal town." The harbor is picture-perfect year-round: sailing vessels in summer, autumn foliage reflecting off the water in October, wood-smoke in winter. Independent bookshops, farm-to-table restaurants, and live music venues make daily life feel genuinely rich. Penobscot Bay Medical Center is nearby, addressing the healthcare concern that dominates nearly every Maine retirement thread.

Nearly 40% of Camden's population is over 60, and newcomers report fitting in faster than expected.

Reddit verdict: "Camden has everything I wanted in retirement. The community, the scenery, the restaurants. I moved here four years ago and can't imagine living anywhere else."

Median home price: $550,000–$700,000; more affordable options exist slightly inland.

2. Kennebunk — Southern Maine's Most Livable Coastal Town

What makes it special: Sandy beaches, low crime rates, proximity to Portland, and a genuine year-round community beneath the summer tourist surface.

Kennebunk sits 25 miles south of Portland and is often overlooked in favor of neighboring Kennebunkport — a mistake well-researched retirees avoid. It has real sandy beaches, not just rocky coves, alongside grocery stores, medical facilities, and easy highway access to Portland's hospitals. Nearly 40% of residents are over 60, crime rates are among the lowest in New England, and Maine's property tax freeze for residents 65+ makes a meaningful difference here.

Summers bring tourist crowds, but the off-season Kennebunk — quieter, fully local — is exactly what retirees are looking for.

Reddit verdict: "Southern Maine gets expensive fast, but Kennebunk is legitimately worth it. Great beaches, real community, and you're 30 minutes from Portland when you need a Level 1 trauma center."

Median home price: $500,000–$750,000, with condos available closer to $350,000.

3. Ogunquit — The Artsy Coastal Town With a Cliffside Walk You'll Never Forget

What makes it special: The Marginal Way walking trail, a nationally recognized theater scene, a welcoming LGBTQ+ community, and some of Maine's most beautiful sandy beaches.

Reddit users describe Ogunquit as "Provincetown but more understated and with better hiking." The Marginal Way — a 1.25-mile oceanside footpath carved into rocky bluffs — is the kind of daily walk retirees never tire of. The Ogunquit Playhouse, one of America's premier regional theaters for over 90 years, anchors a rich cultural life year-round. The LGBTQ+ welcoming community makes Ogunquit one of the most inclusive retirement destinations in New England.

Summers draw tourist crowds, but the off-season town is quieter, more intimate, and — according to most retirees who've moved here — the version they actually fell in love with.

Reddit verdict: "The Marginal Way alone would be enough. The theater, the beach, the community — it's one of the most complete small towns I've ever been to."

Median home price: $600,000–$900,000; condos available in the $400,000–$500,000 range.

4. Damariscotta — Maine's Oyster Capital and Best-Kept Retirement Secret

What makes it special: A charming riverfront main street, nationally acclaimed oyster culture, a tight-knit year-round community, and Mid-coast convenience without Mid-coast pricing.

Damariscotta lacks Camden's name recognition, and that's exactly what Reddit retirees who've discovered it appreciate. The Damariscotta River produces some of the East Coast's most celebrated oysters, and the annual OysterFest draws food lovers from across New England. The downtown — independent shops, library, physician offices, arts organizations — functions as a self-contained, walkable community at a scale retirees find easy to navigate.

Reddit threads about Damariscotta tend to come from people already living there, writing with the satisfaction of someone who made the right call. One user put it simply: "the kind of town where people actually know each other's names."

Reddit verdict: "Damariscotta is what people imagine when they dream of retiring in coastal Maine. Real community. Incredible food. And you can actually afford to live here."

Median home price: $350,000–$550,000 — notably more affordable than Southern Maine.

5. Rockland — The Working-Class Art Town That Retirees Are Discovering

What makes it special: A thriving art scene anchored by a world-class museum, authentic working-harbor character, reasonable housing prices, and a growing community of transplant retirees.

Rockland is having a moment, and Reddit retirees saw it coming. While Camden attracts the magazine covers, Rockland offers something more interesting: a genuine working fishing harbor that hasn't been polished into a tourist destination, paired with a cultural infrastructure remarkable for its size.

The Farnsworth Art Museum — home of the Wyeth Center — anchors the town's cultural identity. Independent galleries, farm-to-table restaurants, and a monthly Art Walk give Rockland an energy that retirees from urban backgrounds find genuinely satisfying. Pen Bay Medical Center is in town, and housing costs run meaningfully lower than Camden.

Reddit verdict: "Rockland is what Camden was 15 years ago. Art, community, a real harbor, and housing you can still afford. Get there before everyone else does."

Median home price: $350,000–$525,000 — the most accessible pricing on this list.

The Bottom Line

Maine's coastline offers something that's becoming genuinely rare in American retirement planning: real towns with real character, at a scale where community is still possible. These five towns — Camden, Kennebunk, Ogunquit, Damariscotta, and Rockland — represent the best of what coastal Maine has to offer retirees who've had enough of the suburban sprawl and anonymous cities they're leaving behind.

Go in the off-season before you commit. Talk to the locals. Stay for a week. The Redditors who made this move consistently say the same thing: Maine was the right call.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Maine a good state to retire in?

Maine offers real retirement advantages: a property tax freeze for residents over 65, a deduction on pension income from state taxes, low crime rates in most coastal towns, and a quality of life that's difficult to find at any price in Southern states. The main challenges are winter weather and healthcare access in more rural areas.

What is the most affordable coastal town to retire in Maine?

Rockland and Damariscotta offer the most accessible price points among well-regarded coastal retirement towns, with median home prices typically $100,000–$200,000 lower than Southern Maine options like Kennebunk or Ogunquit.

What do retirees on Reddit say about Maine winters?

Reddit retirement communities are honest about Maine winters: they are long, cold, and dark. Most agree that the key is having outdoor activities you genuinely enjoy — snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, winter hiking — and a warm, engaged community. Many retirees also spend January and February elsewhere and consider it the best of both worlds.

Is Camden or Rockland better for retirement?

Both are excellent Mid-coast options. Camden is more established and polished, with slightly higher costs. Rockland is more affordable, more authentic in its working-harbor character, and offers world-class art in the Farnsworth Museum. Reddit consensus is that Rockland is the better value — Camden is the more "complete" package if budget allows.