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Good luck on that price range! New England COL if sky high. Taxes are unreal on some things (prop tax) and rentals are not in that price range. At least not the ones you'd like to probably live in. Housing is older for that price range also so it'll be a 1900's fixer upper more than likely. If you have a good thing going where you are I'd keep it
Perhaps I didn't read your initial post in detail, but to live a nice lifestyle in a nice community (and the definition of 'nice' is purely subjective, so take my comments like a grain of salt), in the Boston area, sort of requires an income of $200K plus... That is why the DINK population is exploding there... It's no skin off my face... I prefer to live outside the city, yet reap all its benefits.
Simple enough.
200K? That's laughable. Just moved from Washington DC last summer, yes, district itself, where we lived very well, including large mortgage payments, for waaay less than 200K. This included paying for daughter's expensive college.
Here in NH? Waaay less than DC. Here, auto insurance is much less; groceries are less, dining out much less, etc. Heating is more expensive, but our house is 1.5 times bigger. Lobster is much cheaper.
Yes, DC may not be representative of national averages, but if 200K is more than enough in DC, it is way more than enough in NH.
200K? That's laughable. Just moved from Washington DC last summer, yes, district itself, where we lived very well, including large mortgage payments, for waaay less than 200K. This included paying for daughter's expensive college.
Here in NH? Waaay less than DC. Here, auto insurance is much less; groceries are less, dining out much less, etc. Heating is more expensive, but our house is 1.5 times bigger. Lobster is much cheaper.
Yes, DC may not be representative of national averages, but if 200K is more than enough in DC, it is way more than enough in NH.
BlackDiamond was referring to the Boston area, where an income of 200K+ is nearly essential to live well. Why he brought that up is a bit of a mystery though since the OP was asking about NH.
Southern NH has much higher property taxes than northern NH (though the property taxes are horrendous even in the north).
A few towns in southern NH have property taxes almost double the other towns (Exeter, Newmarket, Durham), and you get pretty much nothing (other than schools) for them.
Southern NH has much higher property taxes than northern NH (though the property taxes are horrendous even in the north).
A few towns in southern NH have property taxes almost double the other towns (Exeter, Newmarket, Durham), and you get pretty much nothing (other than schools) for them.
Reasonable cost of living, not here.
That's not quite the whole story. Tax rates in the north are just as high as they are south of Concord. Any difference in tax bills are due to higher property values in the south. Everybody pays through the nose for their school system.
Manchester or Portsmouth would be pretty spot on for what you're looking for, with Manchester evoking more of the midwestern vibe I think you'd associate with Buffalo and the like. Manchester in particular is far less expensive--you won't find a nice place for $900 a month (this IS New England, after all) but you could get a beautiful 2-bedroom in the 800-sq-foot range starting at about $1200 a month.
Manchester also has a UNH campus and is close to the colleges in Durham/Hanover/Nashua. It's about an hour down I-93 to Boston, about 45 minutes to Portsmouth, and a little under 2 hours to Portland. There's plenty to do as far as culture/sports/arts/dining and it's right on top of the airport, which flies direct to a lot of major cities.
On the other hand, Manchester has some grit and a sizable drug problem. The city is work incredibly hard to address it--and it's much, much safer than it was in the past--but a consideration with kids. The suburbs are much safer, quainter and quieter, and tend to be in the same price range (except for Bedford, which is beautiful but priced more like MA).
Portsmouth is pricier (but not Boston pricy) but is adorable--like a smaller Portland--and has plenty to do for the family. It's not as close to the college scene, but it's an easy trip to Boston and the Manchester-area schools.
You should also look into MA's North Shore. Towns like Gloucester and Rockport are wonderfully charming, and sections have more of the blue collar/salt of the earth vibe you may be looking for. Both have a ton of history and art, culture, and dining options, are right on the commuter rail into Boston, and are still close to NH and ME. They have expensive pockets for sure, but overall are much more affordable than Cambridge/Somerville and the like.
If you're willing to venture closer to the city, I currently live in Chelsea. It's cleaning up a lot--so not outrageously family-friendly, but that's rapidly changing. It's right on the commuter rail and is a 2-minute jaunt into Boston. However, the commuter rail also takes it up into the North Shore, and it's an hour drive to Manchester and Portsmouth, and 2 hours to Portland. Cost of living is still much cheaper than in Boston proper, and now's the time to buy--house value is going to skyrocket in the next few years (see: East Boston and Charlestown). Chelsea is super close to all the Boston colleges, and it's a reverse commute if you're traveling north a lot--and, more importantly, is a MUCH easier commute into Boston if you or your wife end up there. Trying to travel south from NH/ME into Boston during rush hour (and then reversing it) is an absolute nightmare. Expect to realistically spend 90-120 minutes in the car, if you're lucky.
FWIW I currently commute from Chelsea to Manchester for work. It's about an hour or so up, and 45-60min back. I thought it would be rough, but it's pretty smooth sailing!
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