Everyone wants to avoid being seen as the worst at something. No village, town, or city in Maine wants to have the worst of anything or everything. However, where there is the best, there is also the worst. According to RoadSnacks, the small town of Oxford is considered the “worst” in all of Maine.
How Does a Town Become the Worst?
Roadsnacks used six specific criteria to decide which small town in Maine is the “worst”. The criteria included:
- Crime rate
- Unemployment rates
- Education of residents (including number of dropouts)
- Housing demand
- Median income versus cost of living
- Population density within town lines
Roadsnacks examined small towns in Maine that had at least 1,000 residents but no more than 5,000 residents.
Maine Most Dangerous Places to Live in Right Now
Augusta
Augusta is currently experiencing many positive things. New and exciting businesses have opened in the downtown district. The city is successfully organizing events to unite the community. But the main issue of crime is still present. However, for the second year in a row, Augusta has been identified as the most dangerous city to live in Maine based on its high rates of violent crime and property crime.
Lewiston
Lewiston has been working hard to improve its reputation for the past twenty years. The city has made significant progress in revitalizing their downtown area by adding new shops and restaurants. Unfortunately, Lewiston has once again entered the list of the top 10 most dangerous cities this year, after not being on the list last year. Violent crime is a big problem in Lewiston. For the past 5 years, the city has consistently been one of the top 5 places in Maine with the highest number of reported violent crimes.
Also read: Florida Small Town Suddenly Becomes the Second Murder Capital in State
Houlton
It may seem strange that a small city with under 7,000 people on the United States/Canada border would be considered dangerous. Houlton has successfully prevented most violent crimes and has an extremely low rate of burglaries. The main issues in Houlton, which have persisted for years, are theft and violent attacks. According to the most recent reports from the FBI, Houlton had the second highest number of violent crimes reported per 100,000 residents and the third highest number of property crimes.
Biddeford
Biddeford is often mentioned on many lists for its growing food scene and as a trendy new place to live located south of Portland. However, Biddeford still needs to address some issues. In recent years, they have made progress in reducing property crime. Violent crime is still a problem in Biddeford. The city has one of the highest rates of reported violent crime in the state.
Auburn
Auburn’s population has been growing slowly and steadily over the past decade. However, the city is still dealing with an increase in crime that often accompanies population growth. Paired with its twin city Lewiston (also on this list), keeping crime under control is very important. Both of the twin cities are still facing challenges with poverty, which in turn contributes to crime. Auburn is still ranked in the top 10 in the state for both reported property and violent crimes.
Bangor
Bangor is now one of the trendiest cities in Maine, thanks to a young and vibrant population that is bringing new life to the city. Even though Bangor has over 30,000 people, its rate of violent crime is still low compared to its size. It ranks 18th in the state. Property crime is a different situation. Bangor has had a long-standing issue with a high number of reported property crimes, making it one of the most problematic cities in Maine in this regard.
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