The Best Place in Maine to Escape to if Society Collapses

Even though it is something that most of us would never want to experience, we are all obsessed with the idea of a societal collapse.  Over the decades, it has been the subject of books, movies, TV shows, and video games.

Sometimes, the collapse is brought on by something completely believable, like a major war or a government coupe.  Other times, the collapse is brought on by something fantastical, like zombies.

It has happened before, and will likely happen again.  The History website did a great article on the reasons for societal collapse.  If you have an interest in the history of the world's major empires, the article is worth the read.

Regardless of the reason, we have all spent at least a few minutes thinking about what we would do if it ever happened.  Where would you go?  Who would you bring with you?

Fortunately, here in New England, we have some great options for setting up a place to live.

After giving it some thought, we believe that Maine’s Aroostook County would be the best place to run to during a collapse of society.

While there are many reasons why The County would be a great place to hide out during any time of strife, some of the biggest reasons include:

- It’s Remote – Much of Aroostook County is an hours-long drive from any decent-sized city.  It is at least a five hour drive from Boston.

-Sparse Population – There are not a lot of people in Aroostook County.  As of 2024, there are about 67,000 people spread across the county’s 6,900 square miles.  That means there are about  nine people per square mile.  If the collapse was brought on by some kind of communicable disease, it means there is less of a chance of it spreading unchecked.

-Fresh Water – The county is home to a few rivers, a couple of lakes, and dozens of streams.  Even though you would not want to drink right from these, the water from them could be easily purified.

-Farmland – Much of Aroostook County is farmland.  So if you needed to grow you own food, there is plenty of places to do it.

-I-95 – This lengthy highway could be a pro or a con.  When things start to go sideways, it will make it easier to escape to Aroostook County.  If things ever recover, it will make it easier to get back to the rest of the world, too.  On the other hand, it will also make it easier for the bad guys (raiders, mutants, zombies, Bills fans) to get to where you are living.

You don't have to wait for the apocalypse to visit Aroostook County, though.  The Aroostook County tourism website has a whole list of things to see and do in Northern Maine.

If society ever fell apart, what would you do?  Where would you go?  Who would you take with you?  What supplies would you take with you?