Maine Trust for Local News partners on groundbreaking statewide survey to learn how residents view life in Maine
Life in Maine has changed significantly in the six years since the COVID-19
pandemic. Housing costs have risen, affordability has become a growing concern and Mainers are navigating challenges in healthcare, mental health access, jobs and the broader economic and political landscape.
At the Maine Trust for Local News, those changes are something journalists like Portland Press Herald Managing Editor Julia Arenstam hear about from readers every day.
“It’s a similar story across the country, but it’s really impacting Mainers,” she said. “These issues factor into people’s decisions about whether to stay here or move away, as well as whether people contemplating a move here decide to come.”
The Maine Trust for Local News – a nonprofit local news operator covering southern, central and western Maine – and its parent company, the National Trust for Local News, exist to strengthen communities through news and information that provide residents a common understanding of important issues, and of one another.
To gain a clearer understanding of how Mainers are feeling about life in their state, the Maine Trust partnered with Siena Research Institute on a first-of-its-kind, statewide 62-question survey. The comprehensive survey focused on four core areas:
● Affordability
● Livability
● Opportunity
● Cultural assets
The results showed that the state is attractive to both those who grew up in Maine and those who may want to relocate, but there are major structural challenges holding the state back.
Among the key takeaways from the 824 respondents:
● 75% said they viewed Maine positively as a place to live and as a place to raise children.
● Quality of life, sense of community, nature and the environment ranked among the things Mainers value most.
● 38% said life in Maine was getting somewhat or much worse – nearly twice the number who said it was getting better.
● Affordability ranked lowest among the four categories, with housing, childcare, groceries and fuel among the contributing concerns.
● 45% viewed Maine as a good or excellent place to obtain employment, while 46% gave the same rating to the availability of healthcare and the opportunity to build a successful business.
For Arenstam, the value of the survey results extends beyond the numbers.
“If there’s an opportunity to get a specific data set, combined with a lot of qualitative feedback, we can use that to shape coverage plans and our reporting in a way that can resonate with readers,” Arenstam said. “We also want to offer solutions to these problems.”
The next phase is already underway. The Maine Trust released a series of enterprising stories exploring the findings and talking with Mainers who participated in the survey.
The Maine Trust is using the results to identify areas where it can devote more editorial resources. It also wants to play a role in finding solutions and holding those in positions of power accountable – especially with an important election approaching in November.
“The role of our community leaders is to make life better for Mainers, so our data and reporting can educate them about the most important challenges the residents they serve struggle with,” Arenstam said.
Arenstam added that the staff has received positive feedback from readers so far. The Maine Trust’s editorial team will use that input and the initial survey data as a benchmark in the months and years ahead to measure whether Maine is making progress. The information will also guide its efforts to keep the journalism focused on what matters most to the people they serve.
“That’s at the heart of this project: Where is Maine now, where has Maine been and where is Maine going?” Arenstam said. “It’s important that we show people we’re going to do more about these issues.”
