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I am single, 44 years old and as great as San Diego is, I am long overdue for a change. I simply can't afford to live here anymore. Plus I have always loved the East Coast.
I have been spending some time researching different areas of the East Coast and feel I have narrowed it down to New Hampshire. I am seeking an area that offers some activities, night life, restaurants, live music but with the charm of a smaller town feel.
The biggest thing I am seeking is an apartment to rent that would include a washer/dryer, dishwasher and is 1 bedroom. In San Diego something decent like that, which seems to encompass just the basic amenities is around $1800 - $1900. I can't afford more than 1,000 and wonder if there is a place in New Hampshire where I could have my own 1 bedroom and offers some activities, especially as I am single.
Any advice is appreciated. It is overwhelming knowing where to begin when you are desperately wanting a change.
Why New Hampshire instead of somewhere with actual coastline?
New Hampshire is about as different from California, San Diego as you can get without leaving the contiguous states. Why here?
Not sure you're going to find what you want in the price range you can afford. Cost of living is high; we have lots of recreational activities in the summer, but generally not a lot of options for night life and live music unless you want to live in Manchester proper.
Moved from the west coast a year ago and I would really visit before I made the move. Portsmouth is great but expensive. Winters are no joke and this one was average. Would hate to see a bad winter.
Last edited by Mossy; 05-29-2017 at 03:27 PM..
Reason: Typo
I don't know about Portsmouth and other cities but in my part of NH it's hibernation for half the year--even if you have the money for skiing and other stuff, people tend to just disappear off the streets and it's only when May or June rolls around when you realize people are actually alive until it gets bad again in 3 months.
It's also hard to meet people. Maybe at your job if you're young but you're not going to get the chummy friendliness I associate with SD.
Yeah, I exaggerate but winter is grinding here. By February you're ready to go postal after you slip yet again on dang blasted ice. As you age, you DO NOT want to be here.
NH has a way of sucking up out of stater's money until you are just as poor as most of your neighbors. It seems to exist (again my area) by drawing in out of staters with the promise of blue skies and clean living. Then you wake up.
There is VERY LITTLE industry here. So you lose that job and good luck Charlie.
I'm not from this area and have experienced East Coast winters but no way would I give up CA to live in NH. If you love the East Coast so much, then rethink New England, unless you can score a good job and have a lot saved up.
I've done a ton of relocation research and both coasts are pretty much "over priced." If you want cheap move to Ohio.
NH has places that might fit the bill. Because NH is a small state with many towns, think areas, not towns. In your case, the SE quadrant. This would be east of route 3 and south of route 202, or basically the quadrant with Concord at its NW corner. The other area you might look at is up by Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, but it's a more geographically isolated, and not a huge population. You'd probably know all the adult singles within 6 months.
Employment? NH has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, with an emphasis on skilled manufacturing - not a good place for HS dropouts.
Cost of living? Those that think it high compared with CA have obviously not lived in CA! Of course we're not the south, where COL is the lowest, as is school quality etc. Here, energy costs are high, because we have expensive electricity and heat with oil or propane - no natural gas in most places. Our property taxes are high, since we have no sales tax and a very limited income tax (investment income only), but our total tax burden is a bit less than average for the northeast.
Winters are long and hard for people who (1) never lived in Minnesota or upstate NY, or (2) don't like snow and colder weather. Hopefully they're migrating south over time. Winters are great for people who (1) like winter sports or (2) people who love to relax in front of the fire place, and (3) can afford a decent level of heat.
For some reason, a lot of bellyachers hang out on this forum, probably because the folks that like it here are too busy having fun outside. To listen to the complainers, the state would be rapidly de-populating. It is not, although certain areas, like the Monadnocks where I live are aging.
I don't know about Portsmouth and other cities but in my part of NH it's hibernation for half the year--even if you have the money for skiing and other stuff, people tend to just disappear off the streets and it's only when May or June rolls around when you realize people are actually alive until it gets bad again in 3 months.
It's also hard to meet people. Maybe at your job if you're young but you're not going to get the chummy friendliness I associate with SD.
Yeah, I exaggerate but winter is grinding here. By February you're ready to go postal after you slip yet again on dang blasted ice. As you age, you DO NOT want to be here.
I don't agree. Speak for yourself! I personally like the hibernating months (and I am not young). I would rather have that than soul-crushing heat & humidity any day. I'll have people over for dinner or to watch TV. I meet friends out for dinner. My horse is at an indoor arena for the Winter, so I can still ride. I like walking in the snow. I socialize with neighbors. I don't feel guilty if I want to take a nap, or stay inside and binge-watch something. The only thing that I don't care for is having to clean off my car when it has snowed as I don't have a garage.
I agree, however, that it would be a huge adjustment for someone moving from Southern CA. In addition to the obvious weather difference, I don't think people realize how little light we get during the Winter. And knowing about it and living it are two completely different things. If you've always lived in a Southern area, you really have no idea how the lack of light will affect you during the Winter. Some people are fine, some are seriously impacted. The problem is, there is really no way to know or prepare for it ahead of time.
I am single, 44 years old and as great as San Diego is, I am long overdue for a change. I simply can't afford to live here anymore. Plus I have always loved the East Coast.
I have been spending some time researching different areas of the East Coast and feel I have narrowed it down to New Hampshire. I am seeking an area that offers some activities, night life, restaurants, live music but with the charm of a smaller town feel.
The biggest thing I am seeking is an apartment to rent that would include a washer/dryer, dishwasher and is 1 bedroom. In San Diego something decent like that, which seems to encompass just the basic amenities is around $1800 - $1900. I can't afford more than 1,000 and wonder if there is a place in New Hampshire where I could have my own 1 bedroom and offers some activities, especially as I am single.
Any advice is appreciated. It is overwhelming knowing where to begin when you are desperately wanting a change.
If you've lived in and around Southern California your entire life, get ready to be absolutely floored by how bad the winters are. It's cute for a few days, but months and months of grinding cold, constant snow, ice, slush, etc. gets really old. I was a diehard skier growing up, and even I got so sick of endless, bitter winters. If you don't have something to do in winter, you'll go stir crazy. Winter activities (skiing, snowmobiling, etc.) tend to be expensive, so if you don't have the funds forget about it.
New Hampshire isn't exactly cheap either, considering it is a pretty rural, low-amenities place. I think there are plenty of other East Coast places that are affordable with better weather that would fit better for someone from Southern California. If I'm wrong and you want to do a complete 180 from the lifestyle of San Diego, then by all means New Hampshire is your place.
winter activities expensive? Tell that to my snowshoes or cross country skiis. Many of us here don't care for mechanized winter activities. Rather takes the fun out of the winter quiet.
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Why New Hampshire instead of somewhere with actual coastline?
