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I am looking for a great downtown north of Boston. My boyfriend and I currently live in NYC, however my boyfriend just started a new job in Exeter, NH. He wants a minimal commute to Exeter. Also, he is excited about the possibility of no income or sales tax in New Hampshire, we are looking to rent before considering to buy and have little concern about the cost of living since anything is better than Manhattan, NYC.
I have many concerns about the relocation. First, I belong to a woman's volunteer group that I can either transfer to Portland, ME or Boston, MA, unfortunately there is no location in NH. Moreover, I am a city girl with a background in advertising/marketing and will be looking for a job. Also, I am interested in taking some advanced masters courses.
We do not have any children. We like the outdoors, but have a bigger passion for food, live entertainment and art! We both want a downtown with plenty of places to walk to, i.e. restaurants, shops, art galleries, famer markets and festivals. We prefer a town that doesn't die in the winter. Also, easy access to trains would be a huge help!!
We have considered Portsmouth, NH and Newburyport, MA. Which would be better? Or should we consider another option? Thank you kindly for your help!
Portsmouth and Newburyport are both great locations and are similar in many ways. Portsmouth is definitely the shorter commute to Exeter and in my opinion has more going on year-round than Newburyport. Take masters courses at UNH. Live and work in NH! That's the way to go!
Drive on up and spend a long weekend this winter. Check out both towns and Exeter as well. I suggest renting in Exeter for a year or so and using the time to explore the area. Exeter is a very nice town.
Hi Star Welcome to the NH section, glad you posted here to get more answers. Your BF should know that while we in New Hampshire have no sales or income tax, if you chose to live in MA, you'll be paying income tax (I believe 5.3%) to the state of Massachusetts. The reverse is true: live in NH, work in MA, pay income tax to MA. They're a hungry, hungry state ANYWAY, let me get back on subject. Exeter has a cute little downtown area, with shops & restaurants, but nightlife is lacking. Newburyport and Portsmouth will have more of what you're looking for, and either would be an easy (approx 30 minute) commute up or down Route 95 (there is a .50 toll to get on and off Rte 95 at Rte 101). Newburyport has a more artsy/upscale feel, while Portsmouth attracts younger visitors (& residents if they can afford the prices). Both both towns can be pricy to own or rent. Newburyport has the commuter train to Boston, and while the afternoon/evening inbound trains are limited, it's a great convenience.
Both Newburyport and Portsmouth has a nearby alternative with great downtowns, restaurants, nightlife: Dover is Portsmouth-light, and Amesbury (borders Newburyport) both have thriving downtowns, plenty of locally owned restaurants and nightlife. I highly recommend checking both of them out.
Perhaps you could look into starting a NH chapter of the Women's Volunteer Group that you are involved in. There is probably a huge untapped potential, particularly in the more active areas. Something to look into...
Quote:
Originally Posted by star2000
Hello,
I am looking for a great downtown north of Boston. My boyfriend and I currently live in NYC, however my boyfriend just started a new job in Exeter, NH. He wants a minimal commute to Exeter. Also, he is excited about the possibility of no income or sales tax in New Hampshire, we are looking to rent before considering to buy and have little concern about the cost of living since anything is better than Manhattan, NYC.
I have many concerns about the relocation. First, I belong to a woman's volunteer group that I can either transfer to Portland, ME or Boston, MA, unfortunately there is no location in NH. Moreover, I am a city girl with a background in advertising/marketing and will be looking for a job. Also, I am interested in taking some advanced masters courses.
We do not have any children. We like the outdoors, but have a bigger passion for food, live entertainment and art! We both want a downtown with plenty of places to walk to, i.e. restaurants, shops, art galleries, famer markets and festivals. We prefer a town that doesn't die in the winter. Also, easy access to trains would be a huge help!!
We have considered Portsmouth, NH and Newburyport, MA. Which would be better? Or should we consider another option? Thank you kindly for your help!
Try Exeter for a while. It's a cute town, his commute would be short while you explore the area and your options. Exeter has a nice downtown, UNH is close for classes.
I've lived in both - Portsmouth over Newburyport, hands down! Everything shuts down at 8 pm in Newburyport. If you are just renting and don't have kids, live in Portsmouth while you can. It's the best town in the area!!!
I'd say Newvuryport only because it has a larger downtown and there is a commuter rail to Boston - MBTA Newburyport line. Portsmouth is great but downtown is small and after a month or so you'll find you've seen it all. You could just live in Exeter to start until you figure out where to work. The NH seacoast has 2 big employers, the naval yard and liberty mutual. That's about it.
I used to live in NYc and I'm trying to move back. My best friends here moved from Brooklyn, they like it, but they have also decides they need to be back in a city. No state income tax is nice, but I pay state taxes n my dividend earnings, on the value of my car. Property taxes are also high in NH... The state has to make money somewhere,
I'm a mid-20s girl that's been to both places several times (I was born and raised in southern NH). They are both similar, yet different!
Both are extremely charming and have great shops.
Portsmouth has a much more vibrant dining/nightlife scene. If you like to go out, they have plenty of options. Nightclubs, breweries, dive bars, fine dining spots, you name it!
Newburyport has a slightly more upscale feel and doesn't really have the same type of nightlife. On the contrary, I feel like it's prettier there, they have a lot of walkable parks along the water, and if you and your boyfriend have a dog, you'll feel right at home! There always seems to be a lot of dog owners there.
Newburyport is of course closer to Boston, but it's also pretty expensive.
I'm sure you'll have a 'feeling' about one over the other when you go to visit them in person!!
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Welcome to the NH section, glad you posted here to get more answers. Your BF should know that while we in New Hampshire have no sales or income tax, if you chose to live in MA, you'll be paying income tax (I believe 5.3%) to the state of Massachusetts. The reverse is true: live in NH, work in MA, pay income tax to MA. They're a hungry, hungry state 
