Questions about Salem area (Nashua, Derry: transplants, for sale, violent crime)

[flbuilder]

My wife and I are relocating to New England, and after much research have focused in on the Salem area. Mostly due to proximity to my job in Methuen, MA and wife's family in Woburn, MA. We find that the houses are more affordable in Salem than in MA, even when factoring in property tax. Our price range is high 200's, so we were having a hard time finding stuff in a decent area (read: not Lawrence or Lowell). I've read lots of posts from resident NH natives that don't like Salem due to influx of MA people and the abudence of stores, but that seems to be a plus for us.

I currently live in Sarasota, FL and I wanted to be sure that I wasn't living somewhere that there weren't plenty of local stores. I'm used to having a mall, Home Depot, Target, etc. within a 10 minute drive, and I like it that way. I see some people refer to Salem as a "big city" by NH standards, but it's smaller than where I live now.

I also checked crime stats for the past few years and found Salem to be equal or better than a lot of northern MA, north of Boston, and better than where I live now.

Given my statements about stores and my restrictions on being within about 30 minutes of Woburn, MA (not during rush hour), I'd like to hear anyone's comments on Salem and life there. My only other options would be northern MA (probably Methuen , Dracut, or Haverhill). Salem is about as far north as I want to go (even Derry is a little too far).

We do have a 19 month old son and are considering a second child, so schools in a few years are a concern. Although, I hear coming from Florida, any New England school is an upgrade. Did I read that there aren't many pre-K schools around Salem?

I'd love to get comments from both natives and transplants. And if you're a transplant, where are you from?

Thank you in advance for any input.

[kwiley1221]

I am originally from Dallas, Texas and currently living in Alpharetta, Georgia. I will most likely be relocating to So NH in July, contingent on me accepting a job offer I received just this past Friday in Salem, NH. My outsider, 24 hour perspective is that Salem had just about every store you'd want along Broadway (28), but that's about as much as I can tell you. I didn't have enough time to really canvas the area. Seemed like a nice enough place to me, but you can't put much stock in my limited exposure. I will let those in this forum who actually know Salem give their opinion of it. As I stated in another post. Everyone I meet in Salem Friday/Saturday was nice.

[southward bound]

[quote=flbuilder;864022]Our price range is high 200's, so we were having a hard time finding stuff in a decent area (read: not Lawrence or Lowell).

You should be able to find something in that price range in Salem, but not sure if you'll like the areas. I worked in Salem for many years, and was glad I don't live there. There are nice areas (and nice people) in Salem.

I also checked crime stats for the past few years and found Salem to be equal or better than a lot of northern MA, north of Boston, and better than where I live now.
That's not saying much for Salem, is it.

Given my statements about stores and my restrictions on being within about 30 minutes of Woburn, MA (not during rush hour), I'd like to hear anyone's comments on Salem and life there. My only other options would be northern MA (probably Methuen , Dracut, or Haverhill). Salem is about as far north as I want to go (even Derry is a little too far).

If Derry is a little too far, how about Hudson?

Take your time to find something a little farther from the center of Salem proper. Hope you luck out. Much success to you!

[flbuilder]

What exactly is it about Salem that native NH people don't like?

Now take what I'm saying with a grain of salt because I don't live there, but from all of the research I've been doing, it seems like a fine place to live. I've checked all kinds of crime stats, like I said before, and found that Salem rated extremely low in crime levels:
1. Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed rated Salem a 1 on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being worst crime level, national average being 3) in both violent crimes and property crimes.
2. Homefair.com rates Salem as a 5 for personal crime and a 4 for property crime, with 100 being the national average.
3. Another (I forget the name) rated Rockingham County as a whole #15 on a list of safest metropolitan areas in the country for 2007.

I certainly understand that other things go into saying an area is bad, like property tax rates, but Salem's taxes aren't much different than MA.

In my humble (not-living-in-NH) opinion, it sounds like the people that are saying that Salem/Derry is a bad place are comparing it to very small rural towns that they currently live in, and not looking at these areas as an outsider from somewhere else would see them. Without offending anyone, am I correct? Personally, I would like the fact that in Salem, you don't have to drive 30 minutes to get to a store or a mall. And I would be perfectly happy living in a subdivision on 1/2 to 1 acre. I'm not a rural guy.

I'm just trying to get a gauge on how things actually are from a neutral perspective. If Salem is better than anywhere in MA, then I think I would be perfectly happy there, because I think some of the nicer places in MA are fine.

What do you guys think? If there are other things I'm missing, please let me know.

[unknown stuntman]

To each their own and I think given your parameters, Salem is an okay choice, particularly if you like close proximity to shopping outlets and places in Mass that are still about 30 min. from Woburn- namely Amesbury and Newburyport aren't in your price range. I wouldn't talk you out of it.

I personally however do not like Salem a bit as someone who moved to experience the true New Hampshire a few years ago. I spent much time in Salem amongst many places with a former job where I traveled to various accounts. For all intents and purposes it is Massachusetts.... far more unfriendly and hostile, aggressive drivers, many employed at the retail level don't have a grasp on the English language.
I also treat stats with a grain of salt. First hand experience dictates my opinions and I have witnessed much in the way of security breaches as it pertains to shoplifting as opposed to other cities or towns I spend the same amount of work-related time. Route 28: YUCK: classic suburbia style congestion (enjoy the 10 minute rest stop at that classic 5-way intersection that intercepts Rt 111), outlets, strip malls, your everyday run-of-the-mill mall: no where I'd want right in my backyard and one of the very worst maintained state roads for that matter! The pot holes are atrocious. Sorry, I just always get alot of bad vibes about the place but yes, there are okay neighborhoods off 97 and as you head towards Windham, as few places are dumps top to bottom.
Again, I'm not trying to say don't do it and some of my aforementioned points-of-view are synonomous with alot of places in America, including Massachusetts. But if one wants to experience New Hampshire and even if they want the malls and such in the vicinity, Salem is amongst the very last places I would advise in the state.

[WIMU]

I agree that Salem is more like MA than NH. I hadn't been back there in about 5 years and it is classic suburbia at it's worst. Lived in Nashua for 13 years and Daniel Webster Hwy is comparably worse if not worse than Salem.

[flbuilder]

Thank you for your honest opinions and the comparisions to what you like and are used to. That gives me a gauge on how much to (or not to) read into your response, and relate it to what I'm looking for in a town. That's what I was looking for.

Anyone else have opinions they could share?

[southward bound]

Originally Posted by flbuilder

Thank you for your honest opinions and the comparisions to what you like and are used to. That gives me a gauge on how much to (or not to) read into your response, and relate it to what I'm looking for in a town. That's what I was looking for.

Anyone else have opinions they could share?

Salem always reminds me of Derry and vice versa. They both left me with a "scummy" feeling. (I know both towns well, so can't help the impressions they have left on me after many years).

[mal7014]

Originally Posted by flbuilder

Thank you for your honest opinions and the comparisions to what you like and are used to. That gives me a gauge on how much to (or not to) read into your response, and relate it to what I'm looking for in a town. That's what I was looking for.

Anyone else have opinions they could share?

Since, you're coming from Sarasota and enjoy the conveniences of city living, Salem may be just right for you. Most stores are very convenient and I'm sure Salem has many quiet neighborhoods away from the hussle and bussle of Route 28.

I'm very familiar with Sarasota and Salem will offer you the same conveniences. There's a mall and almost every chain store you could imagine. And of course, Salem is very convenient to Interstate 93 which can get you into Woburn in approximately 25 minutes. There are also plenty of restaurants in that area. Everything is just on a smaller scale than Sarasota. And of course you don't have the Gulf Beaches 5 minutes away.

[flu189]

Originally Posted by southward bound

Salem always reminds me of Derry and vice versa. They both left me with a "scummy" feeling. (I know both towns well, so can't help the impressions they have left on me after many years).

I have been gone from the area (Windham) since '83 and sold my folks house in 2000. The above observation was the way a lot of folks felt about Salem and Derry back in the late 70s, well before the massive growth the area has undergone. I went to school in Derry and never really cared for the town, but knew lots of decent folks there. I can't give a fair impression now since I rarely get down that way, but the few times I have I think the overbuilding and traffic has ruined the area. Of course, for the newcomers to the area they don't have the past to compare the present to so in all probability it seems just fine to them.