Lewiston, Maine

Former textile mill towns across New England collapsed when the industry moved overseas. In the last couple of decades, many of these towns started revitalizing around tech and tourism, rebuilt downtowns and waterfronts, and increasingly diverse populations. Lewiston is one of these places. While it is a work in progress, there is a lot of development happening: on the waterfront, in redeveloped mills, and in an increasingly diverse population that includes Somali refugees that have brought new energy to the commercial sector and neighborhoods and have created a more vital city.

While Lewiston has been making a comeback, it’s still pretty quiet socially. This isn’t a huge issue since Portland is just 20 minutes away, but if you’re aspiring for the kind of high walk score bar and restaurant scene you get in Portland, you’ll be disappointed. While we expect the continuing revitalization to keep upping Lewiston’s game, you should manage your expectations in the meantime.

As was noted, the social scene in Lewiston is a bit spare, and although there are some new breweries/pubs and restaurants popping up, you don’t move to Lewiston to get your rage on. If you’re going out for a big night, you’re probably heading to Portland. Lewiston lifestyle is much more about the outdoors: swimming or chilling on the incredible Maine coastline, hiking the Appalachian mountains and White Mountain National Forest, skiing at Waterville Valley, or getting out anywhere outside in this beautiful state.

If you're interested in the social and culture scene in Lewiston, check out the calendar of events.

We highly recommend visiting Lewiston and staying in the community in a VRBO rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our partnership with Expedia as well.

Lewiston has a pretty diverse and growing economy, with 2/3rds of the population working for local firms. Big employers tend to be in healthcare, including Central Maine Healthcare, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center and Included Health, all growing employers. There are also a variety of regional distributors in Lewiston and its twin city Auburn, housing Walmart and Geiger centers. If you’re looking for local work, you’re likely to find it here.