Maine
Maine exhibits demographic aging: nation's oldest state by median age depends on healthcare, tourism, and lobster fishing threatened by warming waters.
Maine is America's oldest state by median age, a demographic reality that shapes its economy. Healthcare employs more than any other sector, serving an aging population while providing stable employment in a state with limited alternatives. Tourism brings summer visitors to Acadia National Park, coastal towns, and L.L. Bean's flagship store, but seasonal employment doesn't sustain year-round prosperity.
The lobster industry defines Maine's cultural identity, though climate change is shifting lobster populations northward into Canadian waters. What was once abundant south of Portland has become concentrated downeast, with uncertain future as ocean warming accelerates. Paper mills that once employed thousands have largely closed, leaving behind communities without replacement industries.
Southern Maine increasingly functions as Boston's exurb, with commuters driving down I-95 or working remotely while enjoying Maine's lower costs and coastal access. Portland has developed a restaurant and creative scene that attracts visitors and some younger residents. But rural Maine—the vast interior and downeast coast—continues to depopulate as young people leave for employment elsewhere. The state demonstrates how beautiful geography doesn't guarantee economic vitality.