Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Imo, the difference in culture between VT and NH is the starkest of any in New England.
Yes and no. Southeastern New Hampshire - areas like Keene and Claremont - are very liberal and culturally similar to Vermont. And the Northeast Kingdom portion of Vermont is very similar to northern New Hampshire.
I remember seeing a study years back which pointed out that the only reason why New Hampshire has stayed so GOP leaning was Massachusetts transplants who fled across the border for lower taxes. People born in New Hampshire actually lean left. Without the Massachusetts influence the state wouldn't be as left wing as Vermont, but it would be much less conservative - more akin to Maine overall.
Yes, but some have actual functioning county governments and some are just on paper. Even the functioning county governments are on the weak side with limited powers, at least compared to county governments in the South and the West. In all 6 states, the City and the Town (civil township) are the primary forms of local government.
Connecticut
County - NO County governments
Boroughs - Connecticut has incorporated boroughs inside some of her towns
NOTE: Despite the name, a Connecticut borough is not the same as a borough in the 3 Upper Mid-Atlantic states
Rhode Island
County - NO County governments
Massachusetts
County - Most counties do not have governments but some do (Dukes, Barnstable, Plymouth, Bristol).
NOTE: Thus regarding counties, Massachusetts is sort of a hybrid between southern and northern New England.
Vermont
County governments - limited functions by national standards
Villages - Vermont has New York State type incorporated villages inside some of her towns.
Unincorporated areas - Vermont has a few including gores
NOTE: limited counties, stronger towns and some villages, is similar to neighboring New York
New Hampshire
County governments - limited functions by national standards
Unincorporated areas - a few
Maine
County governments - Limited??? (not sure)
Plantations - Maine has a unique form of local government for areas to small to be a Town
Unincorporated areas - Maine has the majority of New England's unincorporated areas, including gores https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gore_(surveying)
NOTE: Most of New England is incorporated (part of a city or town), so unlike most of the country it is rare to be unincorporated in New England. The unincorporated exceptions are in northern New England, especially in Maine.
All of New England is like the size of a state west of the Mississippi. It's close together, and has more in common with itself than the rest of the country.
I could lay out all the ways different parts of my home state (Iowa) are different from each other and make it look like there are dramatic differences (in some ways, there are) but when looking at the country as a whole those differences don't stand out at all. Same thing goes for New England, I suppose.
Yes and no. Southeastern New Hampshire - areas like Keene and Claremont - are very liberal and culturally similar to Vermont. And the Northeast Kingdom portion of Vermont is very similar to northern New Hampshire.
I remember seeing a study years back which pointed out that the only reason why New Hampshire has stayed so GOP leaning was Massachusetts transplants who fled across the border for lower taxes. People born in New Hampshire actually lean left. Without the Massachusetts influence the state wouldn't be as left wing as Vermont, but it would be much less conservative - more akin to Maine overall.
All fair and interesting points. Nice post!
I’d love to see that study if you have some way of finding it.
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
10,744 posts, read 23,801,634 times
Reputation: 14650
Quote:
Originally Posted by IowanFarmer
All of New England is like the size of a state west of the Mississippi. It's close together, and has more in common with itself than the rest of the country.
I could lay out all the ways different parts of my home state (Iowa) are different from each other and make it look like there are dramatic differences (in some ways, there are) but when looking at the country as a whole those differences don't stand out at all. Same thing goes for New England, I suppose.
Having lived in four states, including most if my life in New England I see a more macro point of view, particularly when in comparison to cultural and geographical divisions in big and dynamic states like Texas or California. The differences the OP points out just don't seem that stark to me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eschaton
I remember seeing a study years back which pointed out that the only reason why New Hampshire has stayed so GOP leaning was Massachusetts transplants who fled across the border for lower taxes. People born in New Hampshire actually lean left. Without the Massachusetts influence the state wouldn't be as left wing as Vermont, but it would be much less conservative - more akin to Maine overall.
Accurate! I can get definitely behind this. Also in the same sense transplants from the tri states NY/NJ/CT have influenced Vermont in a much more liberal way than previous generations of Vermonters had ever known.
Last edited by Champ le monstre du lac; 10-19-2018 at 07:46 PM..
Imo, the difference in culture between VT and NH is the starkest of any in New England.
In one sense, VT and ME have more in common than VT and NH. Someone from another region in America might think that NH and VT are "twins", but culturally-speaking, they have , at times, very different vibes...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
