One of the ‘Loneliest’ Cities in the U.S. Is Here in Maine

No surprise that Maine has one of the ‘loneliest’ cities; we’re used to being spread out, 'you can’t get there from here,' right?

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If you’ve never heard that expression before, 'you can’t get there from here,' according to UsingEnglish.com, is a saying mainly used by folks in, well, Maine, when being asked for directions to a far location that can’t be accessed without 'extensive, complicated directions.' Therefore, 'you can’t get there from here.' And you’ve got to say it with that stereotypical Maine accent, too.

But what does it mean to be one of the 'loneliest' cities in the country?

To determine the loneliest cities in the country, the financial news and opinion website 24/7 Wall St. first determined the loneliest cities in each state, analyzing Census Bureau data from 384 metro areas. They ranked these areas based on the share of nonfamily households living alone out of all households and the share of people living alone as a percentage.

The data, including monthly gross rent and bachelor’s degree attainment rate, came from the 2022 American Community Survey. 24/7 Wall St. considered the main state for metro areas spanning several states. The analysis found that between 23% and 39.7% of households in these metros are one-person households, and between 10.8% and 21.8% of the 16+ population live alone.

Well, with all of this being said, what is the loneliest city in Maine?

Our Queen City of the East, Bangor, is apparently the loneliest in Maine. In 2022, 32.1% of households in Bangor were one-person households, totaling 21,144 households. Among the adult population in Bangor, 16.6% lived alone, ranking 93rd out of 385.

Additionally, in one-person households, 13.1% were 65 years or older, accounting for 40.8% of all one-person households. And, again in 2022, the median gross rent was $936, ranking 279th out of 385 metros; no doubt that number has changed in more recent years.

Other metrics that Bangor was judged on had a bachelor's degree attainment rate of 27.5%, ranking 247th out of 385 metros, and the median household income was $61,134, ranking 275th out of 385 metros.

What are your thoughts on Bangor being considered the loneliest in the state, and one of the loneliest in the country?