Commute to Boston (Manchester, Nashua, Concord: sales, new home, schools)

[Carolina_Belle92]

Also posted this in Boston forum.

Where are some places in Southern New Hampshire that are a reasonable commute to Boston? Is it worth it to live in New Hampshire for the taxes, or just stay in Massachusetts for a shorter commute?

How is the mass transit? Are there buses and/or trains that run from NH to Boston?

[fishnfool]

Exeter would be a good choice. The train station leaves right near downtown. I think Nashua might have a line as well?? but don't hold me to that. Newburyport just across the border has a commuter rail line as well. My buddy's fiance takes the train from exeter to the prudential building in back bay and she says it's close to 2 hours, but she can work on the train.

As for driving.....define reasonable. 95 is fine until you hit 128 or 93, then it becomes painfully slow, but it does stay moving...usually. 495 is similar.

It also depends where in boston you're working. If it's in the northern burbs it won't be SO bad. My fiance works in danvers and commutes from Hampton. It's anywhere from a 45 minute to 1.5 hour commute depending on time, weather. It gets considerably longer the closer you get to downtown, or southern boston.

Portsmouth is about 20 minutes to the border, Hampton about 10, seabrook about 5, exeter about 15, and Dover is 45 minutes.

I'm not familiar with the 93 corridor so someone else can answer that. Nashua, Haverhill, Salem, etc. I believe are about the same as the seacoast towns?

Bottom line is plan for a minimum of an hour, but expect one closer to 1.5 to 2.

[fishnfool]

Oh, and as for the taxes, my fiance on paper makes quite a bit more than me, but when it comes to take home, we're pretty close because I work in NH. NH isn't cheap for realstate but it gets much higher when you cross into mass, so that is something else to consider. NH is worth it for us not only monetarily, but also for sanity sake. There is a much different atmosphere where I live compared to 20 minutes south. If she worked in downtown though, we might have to reconsider.

[NH2008]

I think the Exeter train takes about 80 minutes, though, so it depends what you consider reasonable. I think it's hard to make it to Boston in less than an hour from anywhere in NH (commute time is important to us, too, so we're looking into this as well.) Nashua is supposed to be getting Amtrak but I don't believe they have yet. A lot of people in Hollis and elsewhere on the border drive into MA, park at the T station and take that into Boston.

[GregW]

The Concord Trailways Co provides express bus service from Manchester and/or Londonderry to downtown Boston. The trip takes about 45 min on a good day to forever on a slow storm day. It costs $65 for a five-day commuter ticket. There is free parking at the Londonderry park & ride lot at Exit 4.

I have been commuting to Boston for about 20 years using this bus service. It is adequate and should improve with the I-93 rebuild. There will be additional park & ride lots at exits 2, 3 & 5 after the work is done.

I do not expect the rail commute to improve along the I-93 corridor because of the cost of restoring the actual tracks and stations. As these would connect to the MBTA in Lawrence and the trip from Lawrence MA to Boston is already 45 min to the over all trip time would make rail impractical. (IMHO). Improvements to the rail lines in Mass could make this a very fast commute but I doubt if the “powers that be” will spend the money.

When I first moved to New England 25 years ago I worked in Lawrence and the housing was far more desirable and less expensive in NH. Lawrence was a 25 min drive from my house to work in those days. Eventually I wound up working in Boston and using the bus service for the commute. IMHO it is completely impartial to commute to Boston by automobile because of the cost of fuel, wear & tear on the car, parking and the incredible stress of the drive. Massachusetts’s drivers do not have their reputation for being completely unpredictable and incapable of using turn signals without a reason.

[NHhome4Sale]

Merrimack, NH is a beautiful town just north of Nashua (and I am not just saying that because we currently have our house on the market ) We are planning on staying here in this area, but building a new home.

As for the commute, "Boston Express" has recently expanded its service from both Exit 6 and Exit 8 off of Route 3 in Nashua. This will take you to South Station or the airport in Boston. A commuter ticket (10 rides) is $70.00, and like others said it takes about an hour with free parking at the pick-up sites.

A couple of my neighbors also commute to Boston on a daily basis via driving, and, again, on a good day it takes an hour.

Property taxes here in Merrimack are approximately $17.60 per $1000. Not sure if you have young ones, if so, the school system has been absolutely wonderful!

Good luck with your decision!

[Carolina_Belle92]

Thanks, all, for that input! Sounds like a heck of a commute... I'm used to about 45 minutes and I was thinking an hour was bad. Eek!

Taxwise... are property taxes that much better in MA that it would be better to stay there? I know that I'd definitely rather do my shopping in NH as I'm not used to sales tax anyway, but someone mentioned that property taxes in NH are outrageous and I'd be better off in northern Mass. All I've ever heard is "Taxachusetts" and I'm wondering if this holds true.

NHhome4Sale, I don't have kids, but I'm definitely planning on them, so it's good to know that the schools are great! I would expect better than average, given that it's New England... oh-so-stereotypical me.

[Valerie C]

Keep in mind that the train in Exeter is the Downeaster, not the T, so runs on a much more limited schedule. Both the Downeaster and the T will get you to North Station. The bus that Greg takes from Exit 4/Rte 93 in Londonderry will get you to South Station, with stops at (I believe) State Street and Park Street. Greg, correct me if I'm wrong on that...

[GregW]

IIRC the bus also stops at the medical center. These are on the way into town. The bus to Londonderry leaves from South Station bus section.

[Valerie C]

I think I'm in a time-warp... I wrote this post last night, and thought I deleted it accidentally. Somehow it ended up here (???) but I'll leave it in place instead of deleting so the OP can check out the links to the T, Amtrack, Trailways, etc if they choose...

Mass transit to Boston will depend on where you need to be, North or South Station, and also your schedule. The Downeaster which has a stop in Exeter has very limited schedule: (Amtrak Downeaster - Schedules)

If you're you're closer to the border, a better option may be to drive to one of the "T" stops in Newburyport or Haverhill. (MBTA.com > Official Website for Greater Boston's Public Transportation System). Both the T and the Downeaster arrive/depart from North Station.

If you need to get to South Station, there is the Trailways Bus System, with a pickup at the park-n-ride in Londonderry (Exit 4). I think GregW could share more on that with you. Here's the link: Concord Trailways : Londonderry Commuter Bus Service to Boston. There is another huge park-n-ride in Windham at Exit 3, but the bus doesn't stop there... more of a place for carpoolers to gather.

Commuting into Boston via 93 can be a nightmare, and the ride home even worse as 4 lanes squeeze into 3, then into 2 at the NH border. There is uncertainty on the widening project, they are still talking about rail service Manchester to Boston, and while NH does finish road projects MUCH faster than our neighbors to the South, either of these options is years away...