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I'm in Texas, where we have droves of people from California and the North piling in because we are a "low-tax" state. (It was.) But New Hampshire has no sales tax, no income tax on wages. Is gas $5 a gallon and milk $10 a gallon? Or do one-bedroom apartments cost $1500/month? Or is one of the least expensive places in the country to live tucked away in New England, where no one would expect? I did read that vehicle registration is high in NH, but it sounds like you can do a lot worse elsewhere in the country trying to register a new vehicle. Even after skimming through a few threads on this NH forum I'm left curious.
well gas is less than $3, at least in manchester & surrounding areas it is. Milk is less than 3 as well. Right now I have a 1br apt for $780 and my last apartment was a huge 2br for only $900. although if youre looking to buy a house, then that will be expensive.
well gas is less than $3, at least in manchester & surrounding areas it is. Milk is less than 3 as well. Right now I have a 1br apt for $780 and my last apartment was a huge 2br for only $900. although if youre looking to buy a house, then that will be expensive.
If milk is less than $3 a gallon it's cheaper there than it is here in cow country. But that's the sales tax at work.
My 1-bedroom is $515 but that nickel-and-diming of an 8.25% (plus local) sales tax chips away at much of that $265/mo difference.
Thanks for the reply - I just moved back to Houston and don't feel like moving again anytime soon, but it's nice to have some options in mind if in the future I ever decided to get away from all this "Southern hospitality" everyone seems to be seeking these days.
The real catch, at least towards the seacoast, is the lack of professional employment. It would be easy to say "the cost of living", but doesn't that seem the reality every where? There is alot of "old money" so to speak, in the Portsmouth region and it isn't being spent and re-invested in the region's local economy. The locals, not just tourists, in essence hibernate for eight months and don't come out to play until the summer months. Better be at Pease or the shipyard, or plan on a long commute to Boston if you want to live in the NH seacoast region. If you can pull it off, it is a fantastic place to reside!
I'd say the 'catch is' lack of decent paying jobs and where there are any jobs, apartments/housing costs a lot. I mean, how do people making $10 an hour (a high wage I saw from the papers) pay over $1,000 a month for a 2 bedroom apartment (adding your rent plus utilities).
Well just recently moving here from Fla I have found that A) the property tax is high as most of you mentioned.. But on the same hand if you're not living "in the city" but rather surrounding towns ie Swanzey instead of Keene, you can find decent tax rates. B) They get ya when you register your car, State tax, local tax, car inspection (which we do not have in the south) plate fees, city tax. It adds up..
Hmm I guess I only have two things. Gas where I am is like $2.89 I think.. They day I moved up here from Fla the gas was $3.14. So there is a big difference. Food shopping money wise is roughly the same, give or take a few cents. Overall I find NH much more pleasureable and in the end cheaper to live in. Apts are pretty cheap, housing is incredably cheaper (at least where I came from) and the people are very nice.
I feel like I’m pretty equipped to answer this. While I think that NH is the cheapest state in New England to live, it’s definitely not a low cost of living area. And if you want to compare it to Texas, it’s downright expensive. Yes, there is no income tax. However, the wages for many professional jobs are going to be lower than in Houston. If you live in NH and work in MA (like some people do for higher wages), you will have to pay income tax to Massachusetts. Also, interest/dividends are taxed in NH once you hit a certain point, which is something to think about if you have assets.
Groceries and gas are slightly more expensive, but probably not enough to make a huge difference.
Car registration is a little crazy. I paid $400 in December at my initial registration to get NH plates, and then had to pay over $400 again in April because you renew registration in your birthday month. Car insurance went down, though.
As far as apartments/houses, I’ve never rented here, but I think you can get a decent 1-bedroom place for under $1000. Don’t expect new, fancy, or attached garages though! Also, most places will want first, last, and security deposit up front.
Most of the jobs and people are in Southern NH (Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth, etc.) and homes in the desirable areas of these cities and surrounding areas are going to be very pricey, but seem to have leveled off in the past year. An older starter home (2 to 3 bedroom, usually 1.5 bath) will run you around 250K. Property taxes are much higher than the surrounding states, but compared to Texas they are not that bad. It depends what town you live in.
I’m really just not a fan of Southern NH, however. Too much development and sprawl has turned it into Massachusetts, part II. Some people love it, though. It depends what kind of environment you are looking for.
Whether you find NH affordable is completely dependent on your current situation. Yes, it’s affordable for New England, but if you are living middle class in Houston you might struggle here. There is a reason many young couples are fleeing to NC, SC, TN, TX, etc.
I hope I didn’t come across as too negative. I LOVE LOVE LOVE living here, but wanted to give you an outsider’s perspective.
What's the catch?
I think it is based on whatever you can find wrong or right with anything.
No matter where you go, Shangri La is not around the corner. One can make the best of it or make a change for what makes them happy. If you talk to a pessimist, you'll just get the doomy-gloomy negative outlook. If you talk with an optimist; the brighter side!
Myself, I plan on moving to NH because I love the place. It's beauty and open spaces are what my family and I want. It will be cheaper for me as long as my job situation works out. Living in Mass., especially Cape Cod, has been a bit of a burden for us. It just feels right, you know?
Hey, do what ever you feel is the right thing. With a little faith and hard work, you can succeed anywhere. Whether it's in NH or North Dakota. Do what makes you happy!!
And read this forum!! It has great info and very passionate people that seem to be honest and forthcoming with the information we are all looking for about our respective state moves!
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