What city is best to move to? Nashua or Manchester (sales, apartments)

[meltinjohn]

Ok I will start off by saying that I live in MA. I am very central to NH and Boston. I have many apartment options to pick from due to location from them. I can go MANY places to look for apartments when that time comes.
I been considering Nashua and Manchester for NH and for MA, Arlington, Woburn, Watertown, Somerville, but Ill tell you, I checked out Nashuas downtown and it was like damn, I could easily live here + the NH benefits with no sales or income tax.
I havent really walked around downtown Manchester, but it looks real nice.
Whenever I went to Nashua, I thought it was nice in the neighborhoods or Pheasant Lane area but then I see the downtown and its like damn, this is good. It kinda felt like the northwest when I went there.
Are rents alike in both cities also?

[WannaComeHome]

If you live in MA currently, do you also work in MA? if so, even if you move to NH (which, I agree is nicer ), you will still have to pay MA income tax. So... at least NH won't also zap you, but you're still stuck with MA.

Just making sure you figure that in with your commute costs...

[meltinjohn]

Originally Posted by WannaComeHome

If you live in MA currently, do you also work in MA? if so, even if you move to NH (which, I agree is nicer ), you will still have to pay MA income tax. So... at least NH won't also zap you, but you're still stuck with MA.

Just making sure you figure that in with your commute costs...

Yea thats also true huh. People get a double whammy if they own a home in NH + pay the income tax of MA.
Its almost like gee stay in MA if your only gonna move to NH to go to work in MA anyways.
NH's economy I dont recall being that great.

[WannaComeHome]

If you're commuting to a job in MA, then NH's economy isn't all that important (unless you don't expect to be keeping that job very long). Actually, southern NH's economy is in relatively good shape. It's certainly no worse than anywhere else in the country, and according to the list makers seems to be better than most (since they keep putting NH at the top of the employed lists - mostly for southern NH where more of the jobs are).

So... Nashua is closer to MA for a commute, is a little less 'citified' than Manchester - but you'd still pay MA taxes on wages earned there. Many people consider the way of life in NH a trade-off for the tax issue, and choose to do the commute. It's such a nice place to come home to!