Goffstown, NH (Manchester, Nashua, Merrimack: apartment, power lines, rent)

[lukedaddy]

Hello, I applied for a position with my company around the Manchester area. We are coming from GA, but my wife was born in Nashua, NH. We have a young son that would begin Kindergarten next year, so a good elementary school is a must. We are possibly looking at Goffstown, any thoughts or ideas on that area? We would probably rent the first year, then purchase a home or condo.
All feedback is appreciated. Thanx!

[southward bound]

I think Goffstown has some nice areas, but I would tend to be leery of settling there as every year we read of a lot of flooding in Goffstown. Be careful and choose the high ground. There's also a prison in the town. Don't know if that would bother you. You could find a nice home a lot closer to Manchester and with gas prices going up all the time, that might be a consideration.

[lukedaddy]

Where would one look closer to Manch then? Definitely don't want to get flooded when the snow melts.

[southward bound]

You can monitor the current storm results on www.WMUR.com. Granted, this current storm is said to be worse than we've had before, but it's pretty much a typical spring in NH, and is sure to have flooding in the usual areas.

[nhyrnut]

Originally Posted by southward bound

I think Goffstown has some nice areas, but I would tend to be leery of settling there as every year we read of a lot of flooding in Goffstown. Be careful and choose the high ground. There's also a prison in the town. Don't know if that would bother you. You could find a nice home a lot closer to Manchester and with gas prices going up all the time, that might be a consideration.

Goffstown Floods along the river. If you stay up on Main st area you will be fine. The floods make the news in Goffstown because there are ALOT of homes on the river. Unless you live in town you would never know they are there. As you have to go out of the way to find them. That is why people like them. But being on the river they get flooded alot. Don't avoid Goffstown because of this. Just use common sense when looking there. Tell the Realtor that you want clear of the flood zone by at least 1 mile. There is still plenty of homes there that don't flood. Well over 9/10ths of the town is flood proof.

[seelydancer]

How long can you tread water? Seems every time there's a heavy rain in southern NH, Goffstown floods. And FEMA takes forever to help anyone. Exeter is the same as far as flooding goes.

[marthat]

Originally Posted by lukedaddy

Hello, I applied for a position with my company around the Manchester area. We are coming from GA, but my wife was born in Nashua, NH. We have a young son that would begin Kindergarten next year, so a good elementary school is a must. We are possibly looking at Goffstown, any thoughts or ideas on that area? We would probably rent the first year, then purchase a home or condo.
All feedback is appreciated. Thanx!

Goffstown is a lovely area if you stay away from the river. I live just outside the Village, which is very small. The main road into Manchester has major grocery stores once you travel about 5 miles from the Village. Depending on what time of day you commute and where in town you live, it can take 20 40 minutes to Manchester. It's not a long distance, just heavily traveled during commuting time. There are some nice local restaurants in Goffstown and Pinardville ( actually part of Goffstown now, used to be it's own town.) Pinardville is between Goffstown and Manchester. It's an easy ride to Manchester which has all the city living amenities including an arena for events, a mall, much shopping and many interesting things to do, including a small art museum. It is a very safe area also. The Village has activities which go on including the great pumpkin festival and regatta, summer concerts etc.

[keds723]

I live in Goffstown as well. I noticed your post was a bit older, but decided to respond just in case you were still in limbo.

The flooding is only near the low lying areas because some areas of Goffstown are right on the edge of the rivers. Sometimes they overflow in the spring when the snow melts and it starts raining around April and May. If you're not near a river you don't really have anything to worry about other than the inconvenience of a road or two being closed.

The schooling there isn't the greatest, in my experience. It has been getting better recently. The middle school is not the most popular thing in the town, but there are plenty of opportunities for kids who want to do well and continue their education after high school.

The women's prison, has never been a problem. It is RIGHT across the street from a police station, where the ratio between citizens and police is the highest in the state. There are plenty of officers on duty if a break out were to happen, but that hasn't happened in all of the years I have lived there. Besides, there aren't many houses near the prison, and a river and a lot of woods/ power lines between the ones that are the closest.

If you want to know anything else, just e-mail me!

[paradiddle]

Goffstown is very nice - no brainer..... The prison is a little dinky thing.

Pinardville might as well be part of Manch-Vegas. Very nice little community.

Rent might be a good way to go. Also chk out Weare....

My old apartment bldgs in West Side of Manchester got some flooding. 1st time since 1920. I think when they had a log jam on the Merrimack river. I wouldn't worry.

[Kat_yar]

I live right in the Village, and I couldn't be happier. The Piscataquog River is right by my street, but we're up high, so it's not a problem. My child loves the new Kindergarten, and I'm told the elementary school is great. I've heard mixed reviews on the middle school, but great things about the high school. I love that the community is very active (the Giant Pumpkin Regatta is the best!) and my husband works in Manchester and it's 8.5 miles door-to-door. We're close to lots of things, but still enjoy a "quaint life". I'm so happy we chose Goffstown!