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Old 02-27-2017, 08:13 PM
 
24,556 posts, read 18,244,243 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by New place View Post
Yes - I agree about employment and timing. The challenge is that while I have a graduate degree and great sales/marketing background - it seems you have to "be there" to be considered. I have my house to sell and so if there is a job - it's hard to say great - I can start in two months. That's the chicken and the egg - I almost have to pick the place to look for work after I move. So perhaps a central location to the largest job meccas - whether Portland or Portsmouth is the way to proceed?
In Portsmouth, the job mecca is metro-Boston. There are a ton of people who make 6 figures who live on the NH seacoast. Median household income in Rye is $95K. North Hampton $107K. New Castle $122K. Portsmouth and Hampton around $70K. Logan Airport is 60 miles from Portsmouth. There are a ton of road warriors who live on the Seacoast. Pilots. Sales execs. There are enough commutable metro-Boston tech jobs plus what is around locally at Pease and UNH that a lot of high income tech/professional people live on the Seacoast.

The median household income in Portland is about $45K. Housing cost reflects the relative weakness of the local economy.
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Old 02-28-2017, 08:15 AM
 
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Thanks GeoffD, Very helpful. Right now I live in Fairifield County where the median HHI is about $ 70k. The breakeven point for living modestly here - since you have to make $ 70k in salary to scrape by due to taxes. I am trying to get away from that and to a lower COL without giving up culture and safety and some job availability. There is no quality of life in CT and unless you have kids plugged into the school system - there is no reason to stay here and be taxed to death. If I had a better chance of getting a short-commute job in Portland than I would in Portsmouth - then that would be better and I would just live with the increase in taxes. However, if I am going to end up working in a coffee shop because despite my experience and education - my age of 59 kicks me out as a contender for jobs - then are there more coffee shops in Portland?

I want to stay in New England because while I have many friends in the south - they are very much bible belt - lots of stray animals that would break my heart - and the hot weather which is only getting worse with global warming. I identified Portsmouth and Portland due to the healthy (?) economies of both . .
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Old 02-28-2017, 10:31 AM
 
Location: Portland, ME
234 posts, read 360,058 times
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If you intend to work in the area that you live, then you will get more for your money in Portland. It is really no contest. Portland will be about 33% cheaper and the taxes that you pay and salary difference won't cover that gap. If you are looking to buy, both markets are red hot seller's markets currently so have cash in hand. Portsmouth has proximity to Boston and even other larger cities in New Hampshire. Portland, on the other hand, is the economic hub of Maine.
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Old 02-28-2017, 01:36 PM
 
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HighTechRocker Thanks for your response. Just so I am clear - are you saying that with paying taxes on HHI and sales tax - that Portland still would be cheaper than Portsmouth with more jobs as well? I know it's a red hot sellers market - but will have cash from my house sale in CT so if you favor one area around the city - let me know. I need a bit of a yard since I have two big rescue dogs.

Thanks!
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Old 02-28-2017, 02:17 PM
 
Location: Portland, ME
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I can confidently say that the job market in a 10 mile radius of Portland is significantly larger than the job market in a 10 mile radius of Portsmouth. You could look for housing in South Portland, Westbrook, Scarborough, or Portland itself and likely be within a 15 minute commute of your work.
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Old 02-28-2017, 02:21 PM
 
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That is great info and makes a big difference to me. And that cheaper COL of Portland - is not offset by the taxes to then make it the same COL as Portsmouth? Portsmouth sounds like it still would be more expensive with less upside for jobs. Is that true? If so - Portland would be a better choice it seems.
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Old 02-28-2017, 04:44 PM
 
24,556 posts, read 18,244,243 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by New place View Post
That is great info and makes a big difference to me. And that cheaper COL of Portland - is not offset by the taxes to then make it the same COL as Portsmouth? Portsmouth sounds like it still would be more expensive with less upside for jobs. Is that true? If so - Portland would be a better choice it seems.
Just pull up Zillow, select rentals, and see for yourself. I see a 877 square foot "small pets considered" apartment in Portsmouth for $1,395. That is the cheapest listing and there were only 2 listings with the $1,500 filter set. In Portland, I set the filter for $1,250 and a bunch of units show up. You could afford Rochester. You might be able to afford Dover. Rents in Portsmouth are extremely high.

So you're looking for New England, cool progressive dog-friendly place to live, low cost of living, a swimming pool, and good paying part time work to supplement being a freelance writer. Basically, you're unicorn hunting.

Other places that usually makes that kind of list along with Portsmouth & Portland:

Burlington, Vermont

Brattleboro, Vermont, maybe

Northampton, Ma except that it might be a bit off for a straight woman.

Rockport/Gloucester, Ma

Newburyport, Ma

Providence if you didn't have the dogs

Newport RI

In that list, you scratch Portsmouth, Newburyport, and Gloucester/Rockport immediately because they're not affordable. Providence isn't dog-friendly. Portland and the others on that list I just made are probably possible.

If you're worrying over state income taxes:
New Hampshire is 0%, obviously
Rhode Island is 3.75% up to $60K
Vermont is 3.55% under $37.5K and then shoots up to 6.8%
Massachusetts is a flat 5.1%
Maine starts at a painful 5.8% up to $20K and then crushes you beyond that
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Old 02-28-2017, 04:53 PM
 
130 posts, read 191,549 times
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Great insights and facts. Now I am really confused! I am going to be buying a home - since I couldn't rent with the animals. I don't know if that changes anything. I am surprising to see VT have a cheaper tax rate than Maine - since VT always gets such a bad rap for being expensive. No ocean with VT - and not sure about the economy. But I will look into it. If I didn't have the dogs - I could rent at first - but as they are family to me - they go with me wherever.

With Maine's taxes so high - why do people move there from NH?
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Old 02-28-2017, 09:57 PM
 
Location: Forests of Maine
37,453 posts, read 61,373,044 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by New place View Post
Great insights and facts. Now I am really confused! I am going to be buying a home - since I couldn't rent with the animals. I don't know if that changes anything. I am surprising to see VT have a cheaper tax rate than Maine - since VT always gets such a bad rap for being expensive. No ocean with VT - and not sure about the economy. But I will look into it. If I didn't have the dogs - I could rent at first - but as they are family to me - they go with me wherever.

With Maine's taxes so high - why do people move there from NH?
Don't confuse Portland with the rest of Maine.

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Old 03-01-2017, 03:43 AM
 
19,969 posts, read 30,210,516 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by New place View Post
Great insights and facts. Now I am really confused! I am going to be buying a home - since I couldn't rent with the animals. I don't know if that changes anything. I am surprising to see VT have a cheaper tax rate than Maine - since VT always gets such a bad rap for being expensive. No ocean with VT - and not sure about the economy. But I will look into it. If I didn't have the dogs - I could rent at first - but as they are family to me - they go with me wherever.

With Maine's taxes so high - why do people move there from NH?
taxes are highest in the bigger towns and cities in maine..because government seems to grow upon itself


i live 15 miles as the crow flies outside of augusta our capital...and pay 1200 a year for property taxes
25 years ago it was 800

i have waterfront too

this is a picture from my front lawn

in maine ...property taxes depends on which town you are in

Cost of living - Portsmouth NH area vs. Portland Maine-img_4268.jpg
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