Maine Counties
Finding the Best Place to Live
Maine
is a geographically diverse and large state that offers many real
estate options and lifestyle alternatives. From the mountains to the
seacoast determining the best place for you and your family can be a
challenge. The counties of Southern Maine - York and Cumberland - are
the most populous, yet each Maine county offers its own distinct
characteristics - size, climate, population, business opportunites and
housing market. 
In general,
municipalities in Maine are organized in one of two forms of government:
the direct, town meeting form of government where the legislative body
of the community is the town meeting, or the representational form of
government where the legislative body of the community is the town or
city council. When Maine entered the Union in 1820
there were 240 incorporated towns in the state. Today there are nearly
500 municipalities in the state. Local government in Maine
provides many essential services to the citizens of the community. These
services include road construction and maintenance, solid waste
disposal, water utilities and waste water treatment, police and fire
protection and emergency rescue, land use planning and building
inspection, welfare, and public education for grades Kindergarten
through 12. Below is a list of the sixteen counties in Maine. Prior to statehood,
Maine was officially part of the state of Massachusetts and was called
the District of Maine. Maine was granted statehood on March 15, 1820 as
part of the Missouri Compromise. Nine of the sixteen counties had
their borders defined while Maine was still part of Massachussetts, and
hence are older than the state itself. Even after 1820, the exact
location of the northern border of Maine was disputed with England,
until the question was settled and the northern counties took their
final, official form by treaty in 1845. | | Maine Counites - Demographic Information | | | |
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