Possibility for 40-somethings in New Hampshire?

[Lincolnian]

Originally Posted by nlw820

I am a single woman in my 40s, seriously considering a move to New Hampshire. The job would be about 30 miles north of Concord. I have never lived on the east coast (although I have done winters in the Rocky Mountains, the Midwest, and the Northern Plains), and currently live in what appears to be the complete opposite of NH--Las Vegas.

I am lean more liberal in my politics and am not religious. I am not overly outdoorsy, although I do like to hike. I enjoy live music, theater, dining, etc. I am trying to decide where the best place would be for me to live should I accept the job, and wondering if there are individuals similar to me who might offer some recommendations on making such a move, on why you enjoy living where you do, things to do, etc. I am leaning towards Concord, but not completely sure. Obviously Boston is nearby, which would offer a plethora of options.

But online research only goes so far, I'm finding. Any tips or advice are welcome.

Thanks!

--Nancy in Nevada

Where is your job going to be? New London is 30 miles north. It's a nice community and I'm sure that you could find people with similar interests living there. I have spent time in that area for over 10 years and there are many people who have a profile similar to yours.

[Oldmanlookatmylife]

Originally Posted by cowbell76

I think this is a great description of Concord - the Concord I see and experience - but it's funny because comments to newspaper articles strongly suggest otherwise. Any discussion of the Main Street project or new businesses downtown results in comments to the effect of, "no one has any money to spend! Concord is not an affluent place! People don't have disposable income! Ever wonder why downtown businesses are failing?"

I think there are two Concords, and maybe people from the rural Capital Region towns are responding to the articles. But in any case, Concord is frequented (or lived in) by low- or middle-income people who spend any "going out" time at some of the chain restaurants outside the downtown. And yet based on what I see downtown, at the same time there are plenty of people who keep downtown restaurants lively, and have the desire for a lot more higher-end stuff. In any case, the wealth is all very understated and quite hidden.

Sorry it's taken so long to reply. Like you, I was taken aback by the Monitor commenters at first, but then I realized it's the same 10 people making the exact same points beneath every single article. That said, it would be callous not to acknowledge that NH's tax structure isn't a recession-friendly one. Many people - especially people working in construction and construction-related fields - still aren't making what they were prior to 2008. This isn't to say they don't do well on paper; they just don't do well enough to live like they did before the crash. Because NH taxes property and not income, tax obligations don't decrease along with income unless you sell your house. And people can't sell their houses without losing much if not all of their equity because home prices still aren't where they were prior to 2008. This isn't a general argument against taxing assets as opposed to income - which makes sense in a lot of ways - I'm just saying it explains why southern NH got stung by the recession in a uniquely painful way while remaining one of the nation's wealthiest areas. It also means that I'm not sure whether there are "two Concords;" the person who is strapped for cash might make a healthy income and live in a really nice neighborhood...he just can't afford to live in or move out of that neighborhood right now, and his income - through no fault of his own - is currently stretched to the max.

Also, more than just about any NH city other than maybe Portsmouth, the 99% of Concord seems to consist largely of artists, writers, teachers, professors, state and Federal employees, nurses, social workers, law/grad students, baristas/restaurant servers with a number of interesting side gigs (beekeeping, yoga instruction, several musicians), and other erudite, urbane types who just don't make a ton of money. (And I'm not sure how many people can afford to live in Portsmouth these days without making a ton of money). The downtown amenities seem geared to this crowd just as much as any other, and the city's affordability in relation to, say, Cambridge or Somerville means the younger crowd (really, anyone who didn't buy property just before the bubble burst) tends to have disposable income, even if that income isn't absurdly high. Weirdly, it's not implausible for many baristas and shop clerks - especially younger ones who didn't purchase real estate prior to '08 - to have more disposable income than families in middle/upper middle class income brackets who bought their homes prior to '08 and whose incomes - while healthy on paper - haven't risen to their '08 levels.

About the allocation of wealth in and around town...southern NH experienced a huge housing boom in the late 20th century and - for whatever reason - the region remained notoriously impossible for major national construction companies to crack, so many of the wealthiest people in this area are general contractors, pavers, HVAC contractors, pool installation company owners, plumbers, electricians, etc., plus the children of farmers who sold hundreds of acres to developers at a steep profit. There's also a solid base of attorneys, physicians and other healthcare professionals, engineers and research scientists, C-level executives and other formally educated professionals among the city's uppermost income brackets, many of whom live right in downtown Concord. But it's all but impossible to guess how much money a person has by looking at or talking to him. Or based on where he lives. The stereotype is that the wealthy people move to parts of Concord, Hopkinton and Bow, whereas Loudon, Pembroke and Chichester are more rural/blue collar. But some of the most expensive farm and estate properties are in Loudon, Pembroke and Chichester, and there are a good number of attorneys and CEOs out in those parts. It's not even an issue of it being more socially acceptable to talk about, say, Wittgenstein or the opera in Hopkinton than it is in, say, Pembroke. In my experience, just about any topic is socially acceptable anywhere so long as you're not deliberately abstruse for the sake of showing off. And people who aren't educated tend to be arrestingly self-educated.

So I dunno. If there are two Concords, they're mixed pretty well with each other and it's basically impossible to pick them apart. I'm optimistic about the Main Street project, but my problem with downtown isn't with the commercial district in question: it's with the fact that nobody seems to think of "downtown" consisting of more than those five or so blocks. I'd rather see the city give the Stewart Nelson Building on the corner of Main and Centre a much-needed makeover, extend the iron streetlamps, park benches, flowers, etc. towards the historic district, and replace the ugly concrete medians along that route with something greener. Most of the architecture north of the Stewart Nelson building is quite nice and makes for a logical extension of the Main Street commercial district. If done right, the result might look a little like Main Street in Keene. Overall, I feel for those who got hammered by the '08 recession but tend to think the younger energy will catalyze business development that will benefit everyone, even those currently protesting the changes.

[Merkavah]

My two cents - nothing to make a decision around... Tough location for commuting to Boston (for the cultural thing) - I really believe that area (New Hampton) would be better for outdoorsy types - the towns around Winnepesaukee tend to be more oriented towards Summer vacation and year leases might be hard to find. Depending on where you pick to live, Manchester is an option for entertainment on weekends (a few decent restos there), a baseball team, a hockey team and VZW Arena for regular shows (even Cirque du Soleil!)... Portland ME is also a great town for fun (awesome breweries) and not far from Concord (if you take a place around there) and has a singles scene.

[Locolady]

Hi Nancy, I'm also a 40-something single female. I moved to southern NH about a year ago, and still single.

I would agree - NH is not great for singles. I've talked to a lot of people here about the issue, and the consensus is that if you live in either VT or NH, keep your search area wide - be willing to drive at least an hour to meet someone for a date. I moved here from a more populated area, and wasn't happy about having to drive that far for dates. But we're talking sparse population, and very small towns. Oh - and if you date at all in your own town, be prepared to keep running into everyone you've dated there.

All of that said, I've met some great people in my time here, and I don't find it a cultural waste-land. One excellent way to meet new friends is to join some hiking groups. Being in the mountains as we are, there are hiking groups a-plenty. Meetup.com has several.

Another regional specialty when it comes to socializing is contra-dancing. I'd never tried it before moving here, but it turns out to be fun and newbie-friendly. And it's perfectly fine to show up on your own without knowing anyone.

Good luck, and if you decide to come here, welcome!

[nlw820]

Hi everyone,

Thanks so much for the replies and feedback. I have decided against this move, for several reasons. I am still happy I visited, however, and found it to be very beautiful. I am a little sorry I won't be getting to witness autumn!