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This is some great information and traveling doesnt see too bad. We both have some interviews lined up for jobs in Portsmouth. Is there a better commuting direction? For example-- is it better to live in Portsmouth and travel to Dover or vice versa? We definitely would like to keep our commute down to 25 minutes.
Not enough of an impact that it would be a determining factor for me. But then I live in a city with far worse traffic now. If you were talking about living in Portsmouth and commuting inside the 128 beltline (i.e. Boston) then sure, we'd want to talk traffic as a determining factor.
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That being said we would also like the recreation commute to be similar. We aren't big "nightlife" people, but on the occasion, we would rather not spend 40 minutes driving to a restaurant.
Unless you're driving back west to the valley, or up the Maine coast, or venturing out in a Blizzard, that's probably not a major worry either. Personally I think Portsmouth is the epicenter of NH coastal dining, and certainly the most/best per capita, but Dover and Exeter both have decent options as well. And there's even better dining in Newburyport, and great lobster shacks north up the coast, etc. So pretty much wherever you live there's going to be at least a few convenient options for those days where you don't want to go far.
And in some cases you may WANT to drive 40 min for dinner. Also, keep in mind a lot of NH roads are actually pretty fun to drive because of the lower congestion and the natural beauty. Even stretches of 101 and 95 are pretty - "love" might be a strong word, but the 95 bridge over the Piscataqua is, dare I say, a pretty nice view. 16, ehhh...not my dream road but it's not at all bad. 4/202 west to Concord isn't a fast run, but I really like the drive nonetheless.
And it's also easy to work meal trips into day trips - lunch in Newburyport comes with a morning at Plum Island and a stop through at Rye Beach on the way home. Lovely! That's a 40 minute drive well spent all around.
Thanks! We will plan to take a trip to Newburyport when we are up there!
Question about taxes...I know that there is no State Tax (and I may be naive in asking this question) but is there local or county tax? I am asking because here in NY we get taxed by the city, state, and county (yikes I know!)
Also, how often do you need to get your vehicle registered/inspected? (Registration in NY is every 2 years and inspection is yearly)
NH really does derive its revenue from property tax + rooms and meals tax. NY, and a few other states like OH have not only state but also local income taxes. There's no trick there in NH. There is no personal income tax at any level.
As a renter, the property tax is one reason rents run somewhat relatively high compared to local income.
If you ultimately decided to look at MA instead (which in your case, provided you find work in NH I don't see a need to do), there is no muni income tax, but you would pay excise tax on any owned vehicles to your local muni. [Though on the flip side, MA lets you deduct some of your rent expense from income tax.]
If you have the money, Portsmouth is the way to go. Easy access to 95 for either Boston or Portland (as anyone even mentioned Portland for food yet, 45 minutes from Portland with some of the best food in New England), as well as 16 for the White Mountains. Durham has some exceptionally pretty areas and forests (grew up there), but there's not much going on in the town. If you like the university town vibe, the population doubles during the school year.
If you have the money, Portsmouth is the way to go. Easy access to 95 for either Boston or Portland (as anyone even mentioned Portland for food yet, 45 minutes from Portland with some of the best food in New England), as well as 16 for the White Mountains. Durham has some exceptionally pretty areas and forests (grew up there), but there's not much going on in the town. If you like the university town vibe, the population doubles during the school year.
I think we would like to stay away from the college town vibe so that's definitely something to look out for. We recently visited Portsmouth & Dover last weekend and think that we are going to choose between those 2 towns, its tough NH is such a beautiful state! I love the proximity to Portland & Boston as well. A seafood lovers paradise!!
Newmarket is quaint, but not a lot in terms of food or events. The Stone Church is great for live music every so often, but you will find the town has a lot of college students living there. Then again, they tend to be the more granola or laid-back students (think rusty Subarus, not shiny Audis, dreadlocks, not frat paddles). It's a nice place to live, but it might be a little small if Portsmouth/Dover are your other interests.
Newmarket is quaint, but not a lot in terms of food or events... It's a nice place to live, but it might be a little small if Portsmouth/Dover are your other interests.
Agreed - I really like Newmarket. It's a cute little town with a few small cafes, but it definitely doesn't have as much going on as Dover or P'mouth in terms of events/dining/shopping.
If you were splitting a commute with one of you in Durham and the other in Exeter and like a smaller town, then sure, Newmarket could be a savvy choice.
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