Maine Will Pay You to Move Here

Maine's Remote Worker Program — sometimes called 'Maine Attraction' — was designed to pull location-independent workers out of expensive cities and into Maine's towns and rural communities. The program reimburses eligible expenses for remote workers who relocate to Maine and work for an out-of-state employer.

Eligible reimbursements include moving costs, home office equipment, broadband internet installation, and co-working memberships. The program has been administered through the Maine Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD) in partnership with regional economic development agencies.

Applicants must be employed by a company headquartered outside of Maine, commit to living in Maine as their primary residence, and apply within 12 months of relocating. Priority has historically gone to applicants settling in rural and economically distressed areas of the state.

Millinocket was a paper mill town. When Great Northern Paper shut down, it took much of the local economy with it. The community responded not by giving up but by betting on the 200,000+ visitors who pass through each year as the gateway to Baxter State Park and the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.

Local nonprofits and the town itself have structured deals to attract year-round residents — including deeply discounted housing, assistance connecting buyers to available properties, and a genuine community effort to welcome newcomers. The Katahdin region offers extraordinary outdoor access: fly fishing, whitewater, snowmobiling, and world-class hiking, all essentially out the back door.

Organizations like Katahdin Region New Futures have worked to connect prospective residents with housing, employment, and community resources. The pitch is simple: a house that would cost $600,000 in Portland is $80,000 here, and the mountain is still the mountain.