Maine is so pretty! Would love to spend 3 or 4 months a year there! Summer/fall.
Taxes are relative - we pay about $250 a year for 11 acres bare land a few miles east of Wilder area! Compared to our $52 a year for the 20 acre farm we are putting together in OK. Probably cheap compared to northeast, but way higher than our Okie cost. But don't take this as recommendation to go to OK, either! Taxes are not the only thing to consider.
Wilder is a few miles west of Grimsley on 127 - whole area is gorgeous! Big South Fork is a massively underrated jewel in the US Park system! We are near BSF - that is where our bears came from about 35 years ago and set up shop near us. And Rugby is cool little place to visit to see 1880's life...sort of.
We have not been to Wilder, but go thru Grimsley regularly...usually 2 or 3 times a year for the last 43 years! We travel I-40 east, then get off at Monterrey over to Clarkrange, then north to Allardt - cuts a couple hours off our trip at the expense of some car-sickness. 127 is SO much better now they have straightened and widened it some! Except south of Clarkrange - last time we went thru there it took quite a while (2021) to get up to Clarkrange. All this time, we have only made it to Jamestown one time, and I have always wanted to go back to see Alvin York's house! Niece and nephew have a place and mother there but they always come east to visit when we are in the area, so just don't get there.
About 3 mi north of the Wilder Rd turnoff, there is a place called Lane Auto Salvage. There are many old, 40's and 50's cars there if you are into old rusty steel like I am! If you look at Google Earth street view you can see it. Over the years it has been decimated! There were several times that many cars 10 years ago, and behind that tree line there were many, many more, some stacked on top of others.
Health care - this is a biggie in that area - biggie problem! The closest thing to a hospital is going to be Oak Ridge and Knoxville area. Tennova system is probably the best - we have spent WAY too much time at Tennova Turkey Creek in the last 3-4 years! UT is pretty good too - they have partnered with Tennova on some things in the past. EVERY SINGLE FACILITY outside of those, in the rural areas is at BEST a band-aid station! And sometimes (usually) worse! The true horror stories from a few years ago seem to have subsided somewhat.
Meth is a huge problem all thru the rural areas - it's not that there is that large a number doing it, but their impact is kinda high! We got the feeling that New Hampshire has a lot of those same problems when we were there a few years ago!
Shopping - stuck with trip to either Cookeville or Crossville. They have had stuff I needed when could not find it elsewhere - last spring, in particular, a septic lift pump went out that was available in Cookeville (2 hours) and nowhere else short of a trip to Louisville, KY, a 5 hour drive! Whichever one is easiest for you! For "quick" grocery trip, go up to Allardt and right at the corner of 52 and 296 is a little store called Burnett's Superette. Small but have been able to find necessities when needed to. Probably 5 years ago, they had a sale on meat and we got some pretty good Rib-eye steaks for $4.99 a lb. Occasional sales...
Bottom line - it borders on a love/hate relationship with the area. It is so beautiful that it "hurts". We love those mountains! And when the bad things intrude into your consciousness, they can be bad! Probably like everywhere...? You get pretty much all the scenery/environment of the Smokey's/Pigeon Forge area without the population and traffic! And yeah, there ARE still areas where you do not want to go! But much less than in the somewhat recent past. If your neighbors want to get to know you, great! If not, stay away! Or if you are reclusive, they will leave you alone, too, generally. Remember Steve Earle? Copperhead Road... Still plenty of 'shine but also everything else you might want.
Well, okay. I will stop now! Let me know when you get there and maybe can shout hi at you as we drive east sometime!