A desire for lower property taxes and rural lifestyles raised the numbers of Mainers living in the Unorganized Territory by more than 300 people in the past decade, a percentage increase that was far larger than growth across the rest of the state.
The primary difference between the Unorganized Territory, which encompasses 429 townships and some coastal islands, from cities, towns and plantations is that the communities within it do not have self-government. Services are shared by counties and the state.
The population in those areas grew from just more than 7,900 in 2010 to 8,200 in 2020, a population rate increase that was 65 percent higher than growth across the rest of the state. What has likely led to increasing interest is low property tax rates, said Rep. Danny Martin, a Democrat from Sinclair, a village within the large Square Lake township in Aroostook County.
The 2021 tax rate in Aroostook County’s unorganized territory amounted to $7 in taxes per $1,000 in property value. By comparison, the rate in Presque Isle, the most populous community in the county, was $24.85. For a home worth $200,000, that would mean $3,600 more in taxes every year.
Martin noted that he has seen a lot of new residents come in from out of state. That is in line with the number of out-of-staters Maine has seen in recent years, especially since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Census data for 2020 estimated that 3 percent of the state’s residents had moved from out-of-state within the past year.
“I remember years ago, you could see 40, 50 homes up for sale here,” said Martin, who added that prices had also shot up. “Right now there’s nothing available.”
The Unorganized Territory mostly consists of a vast swath of largely wooded land that makes up a majority of Maine’s total area. One territory alone, Northwest Aroostook, is larger than both Rhode Island and Delaware. It has just 12 residents.
There are risks to living in these places. Oxford County Administrator Donald Durrah said there was a divide between the internet services between the organized and unorganized areas, saying that it was harder for companies to get a return on investment in the latter.
But Martin expects the population in the unorganized territories to continue to increase. For many, it may mean a scenic new home off the beaten path.
“It’s because folks love Maine,” Martin said. “Especially rural Maine.”