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Its inhabited by Boston area people only its a poor mans version with worse food and restaurants more than likely. Manchester to me does not seem like the real NH.. it seems like the crowded pit of NH with a few nice sections somewhere in the hills maybe but otherwise, seems like an awful place to be poor in and they seem to have more Africans.. not just African Americans but seems like Nashua and Manchester are getting crowded with all kinds of foreigners lately period. The big cities in NH do not look so good to me.. Maybe Salem looks the best out of the 3 but I'd opt for Concord as probably the nicest NH bigger town/city. I would still put Lowell above Manchester for livability. The only plus to Manchester is all the country that surrounds it and you can just travel a little north and be in it all.
Its inhabited by Boston area people only its a poor mans version with worse food and restaurants more than likely. Manchester to me does not seem like the real NH.. it seems like the crowded pit of NH with a few nice sections somewhere in the hills maybe but otherwise, seems like an awful place to be poor in and they seem to have more Africans.. not just African Americans but seems like Nashua and Manchester are getting crowded with all kinds of foreigners lately period. The big cities in NH do not look so good to me.. Maybe Salem looks the best out of the 3 but I'd opt for Concord as probably the nicest NH bigger town/city. I would still put Lowell above Manchester for livability. The only plus to Manchester is all the country that surrounds it and you can just travel a little north and be in it all.
Everything stated here has some valid points. I'm originally from Boston living in Manchester. Large cities everywhere have their share of crime, poverty, drugs and abandoned buildings. Since my move here over a decade ago, I've seen big stores close down, (including the goodwill on Southwillow). I think its just their corporate mgmt either not reading the demographics of the area, it trying to change them.
Also, I was shocked at how little to no emphasis is placed on higher education in the public schools here. As a student in Boston, that was what was always talked about and expected. Even the SATs were mandatory for graduation. If Manchester wants a better city, they need to grow the minds of its residents, and expect way more from our teens. When this starts to happen, it will attract more education minded families and bring more professional families in.
Which brings me to pay & employee benefits. Though at a higher pay rate because we are up north, I see a lot of similarities between Florida and NH. We are in NE! The jobs here need to pay a little more to keep good people from leaving! I'm just saying ...
And lastly, and I know a lot of people will not agree, but I think that paying even a 2.5% state income tax will help generate a lot of programs to help this city's underprivileged. Things such as a real transportation system, affordable housing, food programs. If we only think of getting better as a city and do nothing for the needy (of which many if these are underpaid working families, not societal leeches), then we are helping ourselves as well.
Everything stated here has some valid points. I'm originally from Boston living in Manchester. Large cities everywhere have their share of crime, poverty, drugs and abandoned buildings. Since my move here over a decade ago, I've seen big stores close down, (including the goodwill on Southwillow). I think its just their corporate mgmt either not reading the demographics of the area, it trying to change them.
Also, I was shocked at how little to no emphasis is placed on higher education in the public schools here. As a student in Boston, that was what was always talked about and expected. Even the SATs were mandatory for graduation. If Manchester wants a better city, they need to grow the minds of its residents, and expect way more from our teens. When this starts to happen, it will attract more education minded families and bring more professional families in.
Which brings me to pay & employee benefits. Though at a higher pay rate because we are up north, I see a lot of similarities between Florida and NH. We are in NE! The jobs here need to pay a little more to keep good people from leaving! I'm just saying ...
And lastly, and I know a lot of people will not agree, but I think that paying even a 2.5% state income tax will help generate a lot of programs to help this city's underprivileged. Things such as a real transportation system, affordable housing, food programs. If we only think of getting better as a city and do nothing for the needy (of which many if these are underpaid working families, not societal leeches), then we are helping ourselves as well.
Just my opinion...
yep and just the same opinion that makes virtually every major cit in Mass the wreckage they are.. keep it out of NH
And lastly, and I know a lot of people will not agree, but I think that paying even a 2.5% state income tax will help generate a lot of programs to help this city's underprivileged. Things such as a real transportation system, affordable housing, food programs. If we only think of getting better as a city and do nothing for the needy (of which many if these are underpaid working families, not societal leeches), then we are helping ourselves as well.
Just my opinion...
Yup. I disagree with you. If there was to be sales tax of any sort, I'd want all of that going to offset our high property taxes!!! If Manchester's "underprivileged" can't make it in NH, then they need to move to a place where they can thrive. The problem is that NH can't support higher population numbers, hence why so many of still have to work in MA. And the answer is not giving tax money to support this excess of population. And since they are renters, then if they are unhappy with their lot in life in NH, they have the flexibility to move somewhere else better suited to their needs.
Giving the "underprivileged" state handouts is giving them our fish, but not teaching them how to fish... and worse yet because some of that fish is from our catch that we've gathered by working out of state. I am forced to pay MA income tax and now YOU want me to pay more tax to support people that YOU feel sorry for in Manchester who aren't making any hard effort to get ahead in life. It'd be a different matter if there were enough great NH jobs for the majority of NH residents, but unfortunately there is not. Just read the relocation threads in C-D, where so many are attracted to lower COL states like NH because it seems like a move here is a guaranteed winning lottery ticket... however our lower COL is due to a lack of high paying in-state jobs and factoring the cost of transportation to work (the long commute to Boston), and the high costs of winter heating. So people move here and misjudge the real NH living situation all of the time. And instead of making it easier for them to stay here, they need to react faster and move out to areas with a stronger economic climate, not stay, struggle and make more children (addressing your concerns about high school performance).
Just as Boston will never become another Manhattan, Manchester is not meant to be another Cambridge or Boston. NH will never be another MA. I know that I'm delighted that NH doesn't have any professional sports team! But Loudon is on the NASCAR circuit. Sigh. Anyway, every US city and state is different in character. If someone isn't happy or thriving where they live, then they need to move to a better place. There is no perfect city or state. And btw it's not a contest.
And if the "underprivileged" are so concerned about their situation (a lack of finances) then why are they always having kids? Everyone in my family who wanted children, waited until their careers were in order so they had job security and the ability to provide for raising a family properly.
Also, you forget how high NH property taxes are, which the lack of having a sales tax is supposed to balance out.
Lastly, please don't confuse NH's "live free or die" motto with the New York City's Statue of Liberty's inscription:
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
^^ That poem was written in 1883, in a different time, different economic climate, and when there was but a fraction of the human population that we now have on this planet. Now we're all on some overloaded lifeboat about to capsize.
Way to go Crazy Dave and Miu..... I'm on board with you both.
This nation was not founded upon, nor was it designed to be, a nation of hand-outs. A helping hand to those truly in need is essential for society, however the never ending stream of entitlements to an ever increasing needy and unproductive underclass, at the expense of the producers, is ruining this country.
Don't feel that you get a fair deal in the Granite State? Then move to Massachusetts, New York, or California. The new Communist mayor of NYC will probably love to provide you with food, shelter, and cash for incidentals (cigs, booze, and drugs most likely) and charge it to the taxpayers, just remember to vote for him at the next election.
I encourage every Veteran and Conservative I know to move to NH, perhaps we can stem the tide of liberalism that has been spilling over our borders for the past decade.
In this situation "Teaching a man to fish" is inappropriate because the big trawlers for China and Mexico have sucked all the fish out of the sea. I do not know where the future jobs will be but caring for the elderly is a good bet.
In this situation "Teaching a man to fish" is inappropriate because the big trawlers for China and Mexico have sucked all the fish out of the sea. I do not know where the future jobs will be but caring for the elderly is a good bet.
mac - bagged any squirrels with that little gun?
China? Mexico? Ah the very folks the current regime is selling America to.
Yeah lets grant amnesty and jobs to illegals while our own are not working
Yeah let's raise the debt ceiling so we can continue to borrow foreign money
that we have no way of repaying
You won't be caring for the elderly, they will still be working to survive in part time jobs
while they try to pay for their fee health care.
I am ignorant in some ways like everyone and I know I say the wrong things at times but I do mean well. Seems America has some very serious issues and lots of people just want to pass the responsibility and blame instead of dealing with problems in a pro-active way and telling it like it is. I am conservative minded because I believe happiness starts in the home and family with responsible parenting. The democrats and libs think education and giving everyone a fair chance will fix the fact that many people don't have it in themselves to take the steps to make themselves a productive and responsible citizen. If you can not help yourself you are not really going to be able to help others. The American past time seems to be looking at other countries and telling them what their problems are or gossiping instead of looking out your front door and trying to help your family, neighbor or community function in an good way and be the American you should be.
Unfortunately many people don't and never will understand that God help those that help themselves and their family.
I don't even live in NH yet, but from what I can tell, I will fit right in with the way you guys think. I definitely lean toward the conservative and I agree that the "underprivileged" (read: lazy) need to get off their butts and start finding a way to take care of themselves instead of wanting tax payers to give them a free ride. Way too many in my neck of the US think that the world should fall at their feet. I can't stand that mindset.
However, going back to the title of the thread - since I am looking to move up there and am not completely sure of the 'good' and 'bad' areas... what parts of Manchester/Concord/Nashua ARE the bad areas? I figure the crime rate there can't compare to Birmingham, where I live now, but I don't want to jump from one pot into another!
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