If business is your husbands interest, RI certainly not the place to be. RI is last in business friendliness in the country. All though RI has many small businesses, they are simply not friendly to any business other than very big business, which never seams to settle in RI.
This is a Union held State, union rules with an iron fist. So be prepared...property taxes are high, high on your auto's, high on your home, high on everything they can get there hands on. The cold ugly side of it is RI is last in population growth in the Country. All is far from well...
In place of the "too much snow" you receive in NH, you will get half snow and half cold rain, if that something you enjoy, great. Our winter are cold, dark and fairly long, even without snow. But heck, you must already know that.
RI is a safe place to live in general, normal common sense and open eyes are all you should need.
The schools are average unless, you decide on private schools. The quality of the education is generally linked to the condition financially of the city or town. Meaning public schools in Lincoln, and East Greenwich will be better than Warwick, West Warwick and Cranston. etc.
Investigate the area's you are looking at...checkout what the pension liability is, and the finances in general. We have cities that are on the brink of receivership.
The City of Central Falls is currently in default, Cranston, Providence, West Warwick, East Providence, Woonsocket are on the brink.
You having a Culinary degree is a plus...Rhode Islander's enjoy good food of every type. In short we have great restaurants. If this is your chosen field, you could have done worse.
Now...you will get many views on the forum, many will hide "both sides" from you, meaning the good AND the bad, so that good ole' Rhode Island gets another tax paying citizen.
and yes, RI also has some good point too...our beaches and beach communities are very nice, clean and friendly and oh... let's not forget Newport, a unique historic seaport, great shopping and food.
No state is all good, and no state is all bad, RI is no different.
Oh...we have some of the worst roads in the country.