NH vs. MA (Manchester, Nashua, Salem: sales, car insurance, how much)

[Ozzie1]

We will be heading north to begin looking for ahome in the next few weeks. We were originally focusing on the Metrowest area in MA, but are now thinking of the Nashua area. We have 2 school age children... Where can I get good objective information about schools in the area? Any advice about where we should be looking would be appreciated.

[Valerie C]

Hi Ozzie
If you've been reading the posts, you've probably learned that NH has the higher property taxes, which is offset by the fact that we have no income tax, no sales tax, and car insurance *can* be much more reasonable than in MA (shop around!!)

School rankings can range considerably, the higher taxed towns also tend to have the best results in overall test results (no surprise there...)

I think most would agree that Londonderry has one of the best school districts in this area. Their HS band travels all over to perform (NYC parades, Disney, Rose Bowl parade, NASCAR, etc) and these trips are NOT subsidized by the town taxes.

Nashua has 6 or 7 elementary schools, 4 or 5 middle schools and 2 high schools. I don't have specifics on which are considered "best"; maybe someone on the board has personal experience with Nashua schools?

Bedford just broke off from Manchester and has its own new High School (they used to go to Manchester West). I've always heard good things on their elementary and middle schools, particularly Mckelvie and Peter Woodbury schools.

Windham has a good rep, but may be having some growing pains with the High School that they are just opening as well (formerly went to Salem High)

Other towns to consider may be Hudson (with a tech/agricultural HS), Hollis or Merrimack. Apart from all the great answers you'll get from the people on this board, there is a great resource on NH school demographics, performance, and so much more at this link:
NH School District Profile

Please feel free to ask any questions on schools, towns, etc and I'll try to help if I can...

[Katlakat]

Hi Ozzie!
I grew up in Nashua from grades 5 through grade 12. I graduated in the top 25% of my 864+ class size. I saw that my old high school is now Nashua south. Wow the place has grown since I left. My first job was the year the Pheasant lane mall opened, I worked with my mom (short order cook) my sister (shift supervisor) my brother (next to me on the register) and I recall mom making me cheesy curly fries just the way I liked them on breaks. Living there was a great experience.

I lived on Crestview terrace. It was a nice street on a tall hill with windy roads and neat nestled houses in the trees. At the end of my street was a dead end-but paths and trails that led down the hill, under canopies, and spit us out in front of the golf course-where of course we all ice skated and sled the entire winter. It was a very charming neighborhood complete with a children's park we rode our bikes down an awesome hill to get to. If you were adventurous, you would sneak past the barbed wire fence behind the basketball course, wave to the golfers, walk across the 12th hole, and past the train tracks to admire the quiet river. Most of the people in those neighborhoods I don't believe even knew that huge river rushed behind their houses. I didn't know it was there. Once in a while you can see two boys in a canoe paddling like they on fire. Probably late for dinner I would imagine!

After living across America at 18-I learned how much more structured and strict Nashua schools really were. At my time there, the high school was closed campus. We were not allowed to leave at all during school without special permission via pass.

My husband went to a high school in Michigan with an open campus, where he could go down the street to a pizza joint during a lunch break. My jaw dropped when I learned that. Nashua was very strict for me-but after visiting some schools as an adult, I was glad for that.

The classes were wonderful. Some of the best teachers I ever had are from Nashua school systems. Mr Shroeder, 5th grade, science, read "The Hobbit" to us after each lesson as a parting story. We all sat on a carpeted floor and waited to hear what happened to Gollum.

Junior High was Elm Street for me. I walked up hill in the snow (haha not barefoot LOL) instead of the bus because I lived less than a mile. Ben and jerry's ice cream or rally's french fries on the way home from school, and being in Elm street made me feel like I was already in high school because it once was the high school. I met some of the best friends of my life there and the language teachers were excellent and very patient. I learned spanish and french there. Just incase I headed to Canada or Texas LOL

I found the lessons rich with New England culture, and very very fun. I took a women's literature class at NHS-joined the year book, and supported the lady panther basketball team that always won championships. They were proud and excited to ask me to join their junior varsity volley ball team, and never teased me about being only 5 foot tall. I had the name spike on my team jacket. For a large school with so many kids, they did well to include us all and to offer help whenever needed. I am proud to say I'm a Nashua school alumni.

I hope I offered an insight to how it was for me, quite a while ago-I'm sure things have changed some, but it was a wonderful experience nonetheless.

[Bobdog]

Originally Posted by Ozzie1

We will be heading north to begin looking for ahome in the next few weeks. We were originally focusing on the Metrowest area in MA, but are now thinking of the Nashua area. We have 2 school age children... Where can I get good objective information about schools in the area? Any advice about where we should be looking would be appreciated.

Awesome website for exactly this........
GreatSchools.net

My personal opinion is factor in private education costs into your purchase. I think public schools are not desireable in either place you mentioned.

Good Luck,

[GotBackHome]

Originally Posted by Ozzie1

We will be heading north to begin looking for ahome in the next few weeks. We were originally focusing on the Metrowest area in MA, but are now thinking of the Nashua area. We have 2 school age children... Where can I get good objective information about schools in the area? Any advice about where we should be looking would be appreciated.

biggest problem with objective opinions are that they are essentially ratings which only go so far in telling you how good or bad a school is. Luckily this is a very common discussion here.

From my reading, everyone seems to feel that the schools in the seacoast region (especially Oyster River) are excellent. I can also tell you that the schools in Hollis (next door to Nashua) are excellent. What you will need to accept is that great schools also come with high taxes. As long as you're willing to pay - since most of the taxes in these cases are going to the schools - you're set.

Anyway, those are the ones close to Mass.