On the border on MA/NH why choose to live in either place? (rent, health insurance)

[candycanechick]

Hello,

My bf and I were plowing through our finances. We wondered why people choose to live in MA vs NH, if they worked near the border. If you work near the border, why did you choose to live in one state vs the other?

For us, we are considering moving because we found out it would be cheaper rent (for something comparable) and cheaper car insurance for something comparable. I have not noticed an excise tax for vehicles in NH (please let me know if there is one). He's works in MA, so other than paying MA income and not getting a benefit from it, why else do people choose to like in MA?

[bUU]

I think you've hit on the main reason to live on the MA side: MA and NH historically took very different approaches to generating revenue, MA relying heavily on income tax and NH relying heavily on property tax. If you live in NH and work in MA, you're essentially strategically arranging yourself so you are subject to the heaviest taxation on both sides. What you found in NH was a place to live where you're paying so much in distance from where most of the jobs are that the lower rent makes up for the higher taxation.

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by bUU

I think you've hit on the main reason to live on the MA side: MA and NH historically took very different approaches to generating revenue, MA relying heavily on income tax and NH relying heavily on property tax. If you live in NH and work in MA, you're essentially strategically arranging yourself so you are subject to the heaviest taxation on both sides. What you found in NH was a place to live where you're paying so much in distance from where most of the jobs are that the lower rent makes up for the higher taxation.

Pleas review post #19 in this thread for an understanding of MA vs NH propery taxes.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-h...ight-nh-2.html

[Boston_Burbs]

All depends where you work

[candycanechick]

Originally Posted by AtkinsonDan

Pleas review post #19 in this thread for an understanding of MA vs NH propery taxes.
http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-h...ight-nh-2.html

Thanks for this! I've noticed people say that property tax rates are higher in NH, but I've noticed you can get a lot more bang for your housing dollar in NH.

Anyone, does NH require emission test, or excise or property tax on vehicles?

We just found out our 2012 fusion will cost us 400 in MA excise tax this year, and are rather bummed.

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by candycanechick

Thanks for this! I've noticed people say that property tax rates are higher in NH, but I've noticed you can get a lot more bang for your housing dollar in NH.

Anyone, does NH require emission test, or excise or property tax on vehicles?

We just found out our 2012 fusion will cost us 400 in MA excise tax this year, and are rather bummed.

NH requires emissions testing and you will pay annual fees on your vehicle to the NH towns. My 2009 model year car resulted in the following fees. Keep in mind I was registering in NH for the first time in 2012. My cost included annual registration, obtaining the license plates (one time), processing of title (one time) and the NH equivalent of the excise tax.

State Fees:
Registration & Plates - $54.80
Title - $25.00

Town Fees:
Annual Tax - $156.00
Agent/Clerk Fees (Registration) - $4.00
Local Title Proc Fee - $2.00

So in summary I paid $27.00 to process the title at my town office, $58.80 for the registration and obtaining my first NH plates and I paid $156.00 as the "excise tax." I don't believe all the fees will be recurring.

[bUU]

Originally Posted by candycanechick

Thanks for this! I've noticed people say that property tax rates are higher in NH, but I've noticed you can get a lot more bang for your housing dollar in NH.

Something which I pointed out, which the previously poster evidently missed in his reading.

[magicshark]

We live in a border town and there were many reasons why we stayed on the MA side. Yes as a general rule rent and house prices are lower in NH but you get what you pay for. My stepdaughter went to school in a comparable town in NH to the town we live in and the education and services my son gets blows away what she got. Insurance as in health insurance. Massachusetts mandates that insurance covers ALL female health issues. From my research no other state covers it anywhere near what Mass does. I hope you never need it but it is HUGE if you do. Traffic. I find traffic in the southern NH towns horrific. There are many other reasons and those I gave are very personal, you might not value the same things. Just thought I would throw my two cents in that making a decision just based on cheapest isn't always the way to go.

[candycanechick]

Originally Posted by magicshark

We live in a border town and there were many reasons why we stayed on the MA side. Yes as a general rule rent and house prices are lower in NH but you get what you pay for. My stepdaughter went to school in a comparable town in NH to the town we live in and the education and services my son gets blows away what she got. Insurance as in health insurance. Massachusetts mandates that insurance covers ALL female health issues. From my research no other state covers it anywhere near what Mass does. I hope you never need it but it is HUGE if you do. Traffic. I find traffic in the southern NH towns horrific. There are many other reasons and those I gave are very personal, you might not value the same things. Just thought I would throw my two cents in that making a decision just based on cheapest isn't always the way to go.

Magicshark, I've thought MA spent more on schools than NH. But, what really interested me is insurance laws. I never thought about how insurance varies in different states. So, are health insurance premiums different in different states? And, would you mind giving me an examples of the female issues NH does not cover?

[magicshark]

Not sure about pricing as it totally depends on where you work. Off the top of my head any issues dealing with infertility are not covered in all but six states, Massachusetts having the most, by far, comprehensive coverage. There are other things and not just female health problems, for example my son's has ASD and state law here also mandates my insurance pay for his therapies. I am sure there are others but those are ones that I have researched due to need.