www.nneren.com will give you an idea of what $1M will buy you in the different towns. NH is kind of split east/west by the Merrimack (going north south in nh is easy; east west is not very easy). On the west side, Amherst, Hollis and Bedford fit the bill. You could go north, but that puts you further away from Boston for the occasional trip (Red Sox, museums, dinner in the North end...). On the east side of the river, I have heard good things about Windham and Atkinson....