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Maybe it looks different to a lifetime resident? Compared to where I moved from, my tax bill isn't that high, and in New Hampshire I don't have sales tax or state income tax. Yes, the hotel and restaurant meals taxes are high, but mostly affect tourists.
I couldn't agree more. Coming from CT, the move to Sandwich, NH is almost living free !!!
Thanks for the points of view. Getting the perspective from a lifelong resident is helpful. However, being a native NYer, I especially appreciate the feedback on people who come from NYC and such areas.
Property taxes in NH and their corresponding rents may be high, but please keep in mind that I am coming from an area from which if you want a decent commute to work, you are shelling out about 2K a month or more.
I have a really good deal on my rent in Queens. But, the commute to Manhattan is awful. I used to crash with an old girlfriend who had a 3rd floor walkup in an old building in midtown. She paid 1900 and that was considered a bargain for a 1 bedroom in that area.
Of course, in NYC, one does not need a car and that saves some cash. But, I would imagine that insurance and gas prices can't be that expensive in NH (if I am wrong, please tell me). If so, and if I could find a small apt for a 1K or under in a decent neighborhood, I think I may be ok. Or no?
New Hampshire has among the lowest car insurance rates in the USA. On the East Coast, the only state with cheaper insurance is Maine. Gas prices are about average. Find a good price on an only slightly rusty used Jeep or Subaru with AWD so you can really fit in with the locals.
Around here, "a decent commute to work" often means driving down to Boston or elsewhere in Massachusetts, so you'll find lower rents as you get further from the interstate highways. I'd plan on spending closer to $1200/month for an apartment in a nice neighborhood in Manchester, with assigned covered parking and some utilities included.
You can find cheaper places in Manchester, but generally they will be in less desirable neighborhoods, and won't include covered parking. Keep in mind that even the worst neighborhood in Manchvegas isn't life-threateningly bad, we're talking about a city where 4 murders per year is a bad year.
Best bet is to spend a long weekend in the area, maybe use Airbnb, see if you even want to live in Manchester or Concord?
I would figure Portsmouth would be more for the ex-NYC person.....more artsy and foodsy types there. Definitely more liberal, but that is a whole different subject. Very walkable downtown.....not huge. What 20000 people in Portsmouth. I think its a pretty great little town.....something to at least check out.
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