[EH466]

VT forum, Looking for some feedback in regards to the NEK and North Country NH. I'm currently an Officer in the Army stationed in SE Georgia and am looking at either the NEK or North Country NH for my permanent home after I depart active duty. Hoping ya'll could throw your $0.02 at a few topics for me in regards to these areas.
1. Teacher Employment - My future career could work in either location, however my SO would be looking for jobs as a classroom elementary or special ed teacher. At first glance it looks like teachers are more in demand in the NEK as opposed to northern NH however it's possible I'm just unable to find some of the job postings.
2. Hunting/Fishing/ATV: I'm an avid deer/duck hunter and race motocross and enjoy riding trails. Not much experience in either location. Where would one find more public land to hunt, or less issues with access to non-posted property? Where would the hunting/riding access generally be better?
3. Cost of Living: At first glance real estate in both areas look pretty comparable. I know NH nails you on the property tax, but Vermont has income/sales taxes. I've also heard it pretty much "comes out in the wash" considering the higher fees NH has for a lot of things.
Those are the biggest things I'm looking at. Done a ton of searching on the forum, and other online sources but yet to find a direct comparison. Appreciate any honest feedback!

[arctichomesteader]

I think the hunting is better in Vermont, with better, more productive soil creating better habitat. Both areas can have a lot of public land depending on where you are. Essex County Vermont has more public land than say Caledonia or Orleans County, and less people. I wouldn't have trouble finding a place to hunt anywhere in the NEK but I prefer Essex County FWIW. Northern NH has the White Mountain National Forest (in areas like Gorham) and quite a bit of commercial timberland that's open to hunting elsewhere. VT has less gun restrictions than NH (no permit to carry a concealed pistol, which NH also defines as being in a motor vehicle), if that's a concern.

NH is very friendly towards ATV's with a lot of trails. Vermont is the opposite with few trails. Some towns are friendly to ATV's and open the dirt roads up to them (for example towns like Lunenburg), especially class 4 roads and what are called legal trails, but there are few connections between towns to legally ride and any club trails will likely be on private land and subject to closure at any time.

I think it's a wash in terms of cost of living and taxes between the two states. Some of the NH towns would be lower because of their low taxes but that could always change.

[ansible90]

VT and NH are both pretty small states. Doesn't take long to drive from one to the other for any activity. Except in winter when you might not be going anywhere.

[cgregor]

Don't bother looking for a teaching job here unless you are willing to work for bottom-up educational reform. NH taxes are lower, but there are so many "fees" levied by municipalities and the state that the total "tax" load is actually higher.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by cgregor

Don't bother looking for a teaching job here unless you are willing to work for bottom-up educational reform. NH taxes are lower, but there are so many "fees" levied by municipalities and the state that the total "tax" load is actually higher.

Huh? New Hampshire has no state income tax on earned income and no sales tax. The property taxes vary wildly from town to town so you have to pay attention to that. There are lots of towns in New Hampshire lower than the combined Vermont Act 68 state school tax and local muni property tax. New Hampshire has a property tax on cars which Vermont incredibly doesn't have. That's the only real advantage for most people.

Vermont is typically lower if you're low income. The income tax and the state school tax are means tested.

[cgregor]

Here's the Vermont Political Observer's quick take on tax differences between Vermont and New Hampshire:

Woolf’s Duplicitous Delicatessen | The Vermont Political Observer.

[kamac]

I am a retired teacher who lived in the NEK of VT, Colebrook, NH and later moved to southeast GA. There are things I love about living in all three places. I think the summers up north are fantastic. Those were some of the best years of my life. My family and I loved canoeing the lakes and rivers and hiking the many trails and mountains the area has to offer. Many happy memories.

Winters can be long and dreary unless you like skiing or snowmobiling or other winter sports. You can be stuck indoors for most of Jan. When the temps. are well below zero. Clearing the car windshield every time you go out can be a pain. And the lack of shopping used to be a problem before the internet. I heard Newport finally got a Walmart after many years of red tape. You can always go up to Canada to Carre 4.

Hunting and fishing areas used to be plentiful. I am not sure about how things are now. You need to get permission from landowners to hunt. I cannot give any more information on hunting since we left there 8 years ago and things may have changed since then.

Teaching positions are interesting. Schools can be very different in those areas. You would do well to research the schools or school districts you are interested in and wait for something to come up in those. Subbing is a good way to find the best fit for you. If you are in need of a job, you might have to jump in and see how it goes. Sometimes you can get the perfect place for you on the first try.

Good luck! It is a big, big change in lifestyle.

[DC Fairwinds]

I've lived in the NEK my entire life. My family are all hunters and we ride razors, 4 wheelers etc. Where I live in Brownington, you can ride them legally on the main roads.

The issues: for hunting you need to ask landowners for permission or go to.Island PoND area on Winlock crossing for hunting. Certain areas you can hunt.

COL is very high in the NEK. However, getting an elementary teaching job would not be hard to get. (My son's girlfriend just graduated from college for early elementary teaching and she already landed a job.) Brownington Central School has 2 openings right now, 3rd.and 8th grade. Many schools have teacher openings every yr. Salary can be from starting new teachers at $28K and up (depending).

How far north in NH? If you just go east into the Littleton area there is more there as far as restaraunts, shopping etc. Although still not much of anything but better than the NEK. We are actually.getting a super Walmart opening in August and that's a big deal up here. LOL.

Hope this helps.