Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hello, All.
I plan on applying for a job in Manchester soon. I currently live in Memphis, TN. I've never even visited this part of the country. Memphis is a crime ridden town ruled by a man with no regard for the people he represents. The city government is know for being corrupt from top to bottom. In the city of Memphis there is a 5 mile wide strip running East & West splitting the city. This strip is the only part of the city that is not poverty stricken & crime ridden. Everything to the North & South of said strip... not so nice. Memphis is the 2nd most dangerous city to live in. Sorry for the long post, but it was needed to give you some perspective.
Can anyone give me an idea what live is like in or around Manchester? I'm a couple of years shy of 30, and would like to know what there is for a fella and his wife to do around those parts. What kind of night life does the city have. From what I've read, people come to NH for the fall colors. What do people that actually live there do for fun & recreation? Any other thoughts would be appreciated.
Manchester is a recovering industrial city with a decent location, reasonable priced (in city anyway) housing and an international airport. I don't get out much so somebody else will have to tell you about the entertainment. The city government is pretty decent because we keep an eye on these things.
Hope you get the job. I suggest renting to start so you can learn about the area before you commit to buying a house or condo. There are some nice condos becoming available in the restored mill buildings in downtown.
The addition of the Verizon Wireless center a few years ago and the new ballpark helped downtown Manchester a lot. I remember a lot of vacant storefronts on the main street in the mid-90's.... Nice pubs and restaurants now.... Nashua is a nice town as well. It is closer to Boston if you care about that...
Manchester has relatively low crime, has a bit of a drug problem though. When you go into the south side of the city, you get into the seedy, more run-down areas. I would suggest setting up shop in the North side of the city, or in neighboring Hooksett.
As for nightlife, there are some sports bars downtown, but I dunno much about any clubs or nothin.
I lived in manchester for about a year and a half and have had family there my entire life and have never felt there was a drug problem. There is a part of town that I would generally stay away from but it is nothing compared to many of the similarly sized cities in southern new england.
I will say that I have lived in Plaistow, Exeter, Manchester, Dover and Rolinsford over the years and Machester was the only place where I routinely locked my door.
As others have said, the downtown has come a long way in the last 10 - 15 years. There is not much for 'clubs' but there are numeruous thriving small bars, restaurants and sports bars. There is also the verizon and the new ballpark.
One of the better parts about manchester is the proximity to the moutains, beach and lakes regions of new hampshire. You can pretty much find any outdoor recreational opportunity you are looking for within an hours drive. The four new england seasons provide opportunities for all types of recreation.
My gf and I are a similar age 28 and 30. We live about half an hour east of manchester, if you have specific questions about recreation or entertainment let me know.
I was in Manchester for the first time yesterday. I had to go for a job related meeting. I dont ever want to go back. Everything is so tight and built on top of itself. There were all these "thuggy" teens and adult walking around pretending they were in NYC or Chicago or something. Completely ridiculous and unwarranted. The park across from where my meeting was had these mental patients yelling at trees. And there is absolutely nowhere to park.
As soon as I got out of my truck I had the overwhelming urge to shoot heroin and listen to Mudhoney. That's pretty much Manchester.
I guess if you think mental patients, thuggy kids, and clostrophobia are good things you'd like Manchester. If I was 15 years younger and had no responsibilities to think of or property to protect I might like Manchester.
Then there's the nickname. Not the "Queen City" thats not too bad. The "Manch." God I get nauseous typing it. On the radio you constantly hear about "Manch Vegas." It conjures up images of some STD ravaged trailer park.
On the plus side I didnt encounter any panhandlers there though one of the mental patients was screaming at me to get out of the rain as he stood in the pouring rain. I guess it was his rain and he wanted me out
One ride through a bad part of town does not a "bad" city make, people. All cities of this size have similar issues. Comparitively, Manchester's problems are pretty minute. I have lived here for six years, and there are plusses and minuses. Yes, there is some crime, but really not that bad. The big problem for me is the school system---pretty bad compared to many other towns in NH, but Manchester has many things to deal with that other towns don't in terms of education. If you get an apartment or house in a good part of town---North End, north east side, some of the west side, you will be fine. There are many great entertainment venues, etc....Verizon, Palace Theater, Currier Art Museum, Millyard Museum, etc etc etc.........all kinds of food, stores, malls all within a short distance. So there are some good things about living here. Convenience is probably tops on my list. I am looking to move to a smaller town, so I can have a bigger yard and better school system, but in the six years I have been here, I really can't complain. I am a NH native, and have lived all over the place from the Mass border, to the seacoast to the Lakes region, and I haven't had any more problems here than any where else.
On the plus side I didnt encounter any panhandlers there though one of the mental patients was screaming at me to get out of the rain as he stood in the pouring rain.
part of the problem is you THINK they were mental patients - if they were patients, they'd be in a hospital getting treatment
however, years ago, decades now.....patients were told they no longer qualify for hospitalization and were released to live on their own - as a result, we have street people or panhandlers. you may not think you ran into any, but it's obvious you witnessed them trying to stay dry in the rain.
as a whole, the city is not pretty, but it's getting better - the Verizon brings revenue and other activities such as the cancer runs, Riverfest, Christmas parades make it a small city where residents can still gather for a few hours and feel safe.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
