Old Orchard Beach FAQ

Old Orchard Beach uses a Town Council / Town Manager form of government. Seven elected councilors set policy; the Town Manager runs day-to-day operations.

Verify the current Town Manager on the Town of OOB website. Diana Asanza served in the 2020s.

The Town's annual budget is set each spring. Detailed line items are published on the Town website and reviewed at public council meetings.

OOB operates roughly 22 departments, Public Safety, Public Works, Parks & Recreation, Library, Code Enforcement, Assessing, Town Clerk, and others. See /town/departments.

Council meets at Town Hall on a published schedule (typically twice monthly). Meetings are open to the public; agenda and minutes are posted on oldorchardbeachmaine.gov.

1 Portland Avenue, Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064.

Generally Monday, Friday business hours. Check the Town website for current hours and any seasonal adjustments.

All ordinances are codified at the Town's Code of Ordinances page. See /town/code-of-ordinances.

OOB publishes parcel and assessment data through its online GIS viewer. See /town/gis-and-records.

The Comprehensive Plan is the Town's long-range land-use and policy document. A revision is in progress. See /town/comprehensive-plan.

About $516K (Homes.com, 12-month median).

Average 62 days on market, up from 48 days a year earlier.

1.22% effective rate, below Maine's state median of 1.57%. Median annual bill ~$3,911.

Maine offers a $25,000 reduction off assessed value for primary residences. Application due by April 1. Saves $275, $430/year.

No. Homestead Exemption applies only to a primary residence.

Yes. The Property Tax Fairness Credit pays up to $2,500 for seniors 65+. Veterans also get an additional ~$6,000 exemption that stacks with Homestead.

October 2025 median was $479K, down 6.6% year over year, while price per square foot was up 12.9%. The market has cooled but compositional shifts complicate the headline.

Loranger Memorial School (PK-5) and Jameson Elementary share the OOB campus. OOB High School serves grades 7-12.

RSU 23 (Regional School Unit 23), serving Old Orchard Beach.

Pre-K through 5.

The Seagulls.

No charter school currently inside OOB. Maine charter options exist regionally.

Approximately 12:1 district-wide. Verify current numbers on the RSU 23 website.

Southern Maine Health Care in Biddeford (~10 min) is the closest hospital. Maine Medical Center in Portland (~25 min) is the regional Level II trauma center.

About 10 minutes to Southern Maine Health Care in Biddeford.

Yes, about 25 minutes north on I-95. Maine Med is the largest hospital in Maine.

Several primary care practices in OOB and immediately adjacent in Saco and Biddeford. See /healthcare.

Seven miles of unbroken sand, the longest sand beach in New England.

Nine named sub-beaches across three towns: Pine Point, Bayview, Grand Beach, Surfside, Kinney Shores, Ferry Beach, Old Orchard Beach (main), Ocean Park, and Camp Ellis.

Not on the public beach Memorial Day, Labor Day, 10am, 5pm in OOB proper (9am, 5pm in Ocean Park). Allowed off-hours and off-season.

10am, 5pm daily, late June through Labor Day.

Bonfires are prohibited on the public beach year-round.

No. Driving on the beach is prohibited.

Personal fireworks are prohibited. Civil violation $100, $2,500 plus fees. The Town runs free Thursday-night fireworks all summer.

Town Hall, 1 Portland Avenue. ACH and check accepted; due dates are quarterly per the Town's tax calendar.

Apply at the Code Enforcement office. Annual fee $250. Safety inspection required before issuance; re-inspection every 4 years; bi-annual registration.

Register at the Town Clerk's office at Town Hall. Bring proof of residency.

See /public-services for current Transfer Station location and hours.

Curbside pickup runs on a weekly schedule; recycling on alternating weeks. Check the Town website for your zone.

Yes. About 8,960 year-round residents (2020 Census). Population peaks at ~75,000 in summer.

No. OOB is a mixed-age year-round community with strong family and senior populations.

8,960 year-round residents; ~75,000 peak summer.

Yes. 130-year continuous tradition. OOB has the highest proportion of French-speaking summer visitors of any community in the continental US.

Year-round parking is available at most municipal lots; metered/seasonal rates apply Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Yes, the Amtrak Downeaster has a seasonal stop at the OOB platform, two blocks from the Pier.

OOB platform typically operates Memorial Day through Labor Day. Saco runs year-round.

About 95 miles, 1.5 to 2 hours by car, ~2.5 hours on the Amtrak Downeaster.

About 20 minutes.

BSOOB (Biddeford Saco Old Orchard Beach Transit) runs year-round bus service connecting the three towns.

Yes, with a Town rental license, but check your condo association rules first. Some prohibit STR.

$250/year. Bi-annual registration. Safety inspection before issuance, re-inspection every 4 years.

9% on stays under 28 days. Stays of 28+ days are exempt.

Yes. A safety inspection is required before issuance and every 4 years thereafter.

Yes. Some OOB associations prohibit STR. Some restrict to 30+ day minimums. Pull the bylaws before contract.

Required if you have a federally backed mortgage and are in Zone A, AE, or VE. Strongly recommended for many Zone X properties given coastal storm history.

FEMA classifies properties by flood risk. Zone X (low risk), Zone A/AE (high risk inland), Zone VE (high risk coastal velocity).

Yes. Coastal homeowners insurance runs $1,800, $3,200/year, with 1, 5% wind deductibles common.

First Street Foundation estimates 86% of OOB properties have major severe wind risk over 30 years.

Yes. New FIRMs adopted July 17, 2024 after a multi-year Town appeal.

Yes. Travis writes asset depletion loans that qualify retired buyers based on liquid assets rather than income.

Some are. Warrantable condos qualify for conventional/FHA. Non-warrantable condos require non-agency financing at typically 0.5, 1.5% above conventional.

Yes, with bridge financing. Travis structures both sides of the OOB-to-Florida flywheel.

A loan program that qualifies you on liquid assets divided over the loan term, typically 70, 80% of assets / 360 months = qualifying income equivalent.

No. Travis brokers loans through a nationwide wholesale lender network across 38 states. Brokering means he can shop rate and product.

Yes, many OOB owners do. Condo associations make lock-and-leave easy; single-family owners winterize and use a property manager.

Yes. Deja holds a Florida real estate license (SL3530339) and Travis writes Florida loans. The Maine Florida Collective covers both sides.

Spend 183+ days/year in Florida. Get a Florida driver's license. Register to vote. File a Declaration of Domicile with your county.

Maine top income tax rate is 7.15%. Florida has no state income tax and no estate tax. Run the math with a CPA.

Tampa Bay, Sarasota, Naples, Fort Myers. Sun City Center is a primary Maine-to-Florida retirement destination.