how do you like living in New Hampshire? (Manchester, Portsmouth: sales, how much)

[summer grace]

I wanted to start this thread because I don't think there is one exactly like this, and there is one in the Iowa forum like this, so I thought it would be interesting to have one about NH. I just want the good or bad perspective or both of people familiar with the state, who live there or have lived there or who have lived close, etc. I'm from Iowa/ Minnesota and have never even been to NH, but I am interested in the state and views on it. I have much enjoyed reading the NH part of the forum, and it was very informative, and I'm not looking for specific info, just any views in general.

[clairz]

Summer grace, I love New Hampshire! I like the fresh clean air, the great people, the beautiful scenery, the little towns, and the sense of history. Right now I'm loving it with gritted teeth, though, because we are getting ready for our third big snowstorm this month. This is the time of year that tests us all--we see the crocuses blooming one day, only to wake up and find them covered with snow. Again!! I'll be leaving soon for retirement in a milder climate, hoping to find some relief for my arthritis, but my 23 years in NH will always be a sweet memory.

~clairz

[southward bound]

Originally Posted by clairz

Summer grace, I love New Hampshire! I like the fresh clean air, the great people, the beautiful scenery, the little towns, and the sense of history. Right now I'm loving it with gritted teeth, though, because we are getting ready for our third big snowstorm this month. This is the time of year that tests us all--we see the crocuses blooming one day, only to wake up and find them covered with snow. Again!! I'll be leaving soon for retirement in a milder climate, hoping to find some relief for my arthritis, but my 23 years in NH will always be a sweet memory.

~clairz

I'm like you, Clairz. My ol' bones took me south, too, and it's better here, but we think we're not going to want to sell our home in NH and break those ties.
34 years of one's married life is a long time of memories, and NH was very good to us. Here's what we've had all these years, private beach,tennis, boating, fishing...right in our back yard. It's been one, long, wonderful vacation. Enjoy the snow. I always thought it was fun to be snug in one's warm home watching the fury of the snows, going to bed with a flashlight nearby, and wondering how much snow will we have by the time it's over.
Things are so beautiful with the sun bouncing off the snow crystals, with tree limbs heavy with snow. My eyes and heart think so, but my bones don't. However, spring is almost here...and the air will be filled with the fragrance of lilacs! (that's the NH state flower, I believe), and I will need to return for the summer - glorious summer in NH -- and then there's the Fall!
there's no color like the foliage in NH! I think I may have the best of both worlds - Winter and spring in NC, summer and fall in NH. How lucky can one get?!

[clairz]

Southward bound, thank you for posting the gorgeous photos of New Hampshire--I can just smell those lilacs, and now I remember why we're still here, slogging through this pesky April snow. Soon we'll be enjoying fiddleheads and daffodils and irises and and tulips and peepers! I'm sure that your photos will give Summer grace an elegant explanation of why New Hampshire is such a wonderful place.

~clairz

[summer grace]

Thanks for the pictures and opinions! I love lilacs and they are my favorite flower ( I grew up in a house with a lilac bush in the yard), and didn't realize they were NH's state flower. NH has always seemed beautiful to me from pictures and I've heard much that's good about the state. Whereas with Iowa ( where I am stuck right now) you hear good and bad. NH sounds like such a lovely state.

[WIMU]

We loved NH so much we will be there shortly. The beauty of the mountains in spring and fall as well as winter is unreal. The freshhwater running in the streams(I guess not last spring). The fresher air, the ocean being so close and being able to walk on the beach anytime of the year. The fall foliage is unprecedented as it absolutely hypnotizes you. Winter is still fun and beautiful when it lasts from Dec to March essentially but when it goes into the heart of April--well! The covered bridges, the quaint towns, the forests and on and on. You can't get that in the Midwest--pollution, boring scenery,suburbs of rows of houses and shopping malls every 20 feet. It does have some beauty but is light years away from anything NH has.

[jdukarm]

My family and I will be moving to New England and initially targeted CT (Suburban Hartford), but after having a recent business trip to NH and speaking to our Accountant about NH not having State or Sales Tax, I am now thinking that perhaps NH is the better bet financially.

Currently we live in Suburban Cleveland so getting use to the higher housing market in the NE has been an adjustment but we are ready for a major change and a recent job promotion is what is taking us to New England.

We are a young family, son 6, and baby due in about 3 weeks so we are looking for a young, vibrant mid-size city. Coming from a larger city such as Cleveland, we are not conditioned to living in rural environments so if any of you resident New Hampshirites (???) can suggest where all the growth is occurring and the best school districts are, that would be great. For logistics, we would need to be within a 40 min drive at the most from an airport (Manchester). Preferably with a desirable drive to Boston of no more than 1 hr.

Thanks for your help!----

[summer grace]

Originally Posted by WIMU

We loved NH so much we will be there shortly. The beauty of the mountains in spring and fall as well as winter is unreal. The freshhwater running in the streams(I guess not last spring). The fresher air, the ocean being so close and being able to walk on the beach anytime of the year. The fall foliage is unprecedented as it absolutely hypnotizes you. Winter is still fun and beautiful when it lasts from Dec to March essentially but when it goes into the heart of April--well! The covered bridges, the quaint towns, the forests and on and on. You can't get that in the Midwest--pollution, boring scenery,suburbs of rows of houses and shopping malls every 20 feet. It does have some beauty but is light years away from anything NH has.

Agreed. NH has got to be the most beautiful/nice state around in my opinion, there's no debating that. Someday, I hope to be able to be there. Right now, the midwest is where I am stuck ( that word says everything) in NE Iowa- it's not totally bad- well, the bad outweighs the good, but it isn't NH. I love every post to this thread.

[unknown stuntman]

Best things...
1. The summer (no funner place to live)
2. Don't have to leave extra time to get to work, even if your a 9-5er)
3. Live free or Die! (getting worse w/ the Mass influx, but still ahead of the rest of the northeast)
4. Friendlier people than Southern New England
5. Proximity to both beaches and mts.
6. Beautiful beaches that are easy to get to and park (minus the hell-hole that is Hampton Beach)
7. Skiing
8. Portsmouth
9. Fresh seafood
10. Proximity to Boston

Worst things...
1. Proximity to Boston
2. No alluring urban draws (Portsmouth constitutes urban to some, not others)
3. Overfully cold at times
4. Persistent rain and gray skies at times
5. Influx of Taxachusetts mind-set
6. No big-time local sports spirit- I mean local, not Boston pro teams. This is the worst area for March Madness, but I guess that's the way it is when there aren't good local programs.
7. Hampton Beach
8. Tolls ( though they're cheap)
9. Lack of legitimate social services- again, "live free or die" is great, but it naturally has to come w/ a price.
10. Low wages by northeastern standards

[nhyrnut]

Originally Posted by unknown stuntman

6. No big-time local sports spirit- I mean local, not Boston pro teams. This is the worst area for March Madness, but I guess that's the way it is when there aren't good local programs.
7.

I must disagree with this. Have you been to a Fisher cats game, or a Monarchs game, or a Wolves game. The city supports it's teams. They might not spend $100 at a scalper but they go and enjoy them and support them tremendously.