Tom McLaughlin: Demographic difficulties

Many elderly citizens in my small western Maine town of Lovell were summer people from Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, who always planned to live here full-time after retirement. I expect that’s true in other towns in a state where “Vacationland” is stamped on our license plates. I’m semi-retired myself, and part of my income, aside from my teacher’s pension and Social Security, is from managing vacation properties here. It dovetailed nicely with teaching, and I kept doing it after retiring in 2011. The small contractors I use for plumbing, excavation, carpentry, etc. tell me often how hard it is to find help — especially competent help.

Maine is the oldest state in the country, demographically speaking. According to a recent Boston Globe article: “Maine is one of only two states, along with West Virginia, where deaths now outnumber births,” and “many young people move away in search of opportunity,” further exacerbating the problem. Counties in northern Maine see declining populations while York and Cumberland counties in southern Maine are increasing by 3 and 6 percent, respectively. Median age is 44 statewide. There are more people over 65 than under 18. The over-65 demographic is predicted to rise 37 percent by 2016, while all other age groups decline, according to the Globe.