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Hello, I hope this thread finds everyone well. Ok, I'm writting this because I am seriously considering a move to N.H., specifically Northern N.H. I am looking at Grafton, Coos, Carroll, and Belknap counties with focus on Grafton(Littleton) and Coos. Let me give you some background info. I am in my early 30s and moving with my mother, who is a teacher, out of South Florida. She has been here since '71 and I have lived here all my life. This has become a terrible place to live. My whole family is from the Mid-West we have never really felt comfortable here but it was ok. Not anymore, the intense heat(Summer lasts 9 mo.), the crime and violence(home invasions, rapes,murders literally everyday), the rudeness(unspeakable). We need to move. We are friendly, honest ppl who just want to feel safe and live in a beautiful area that does not cost a million $ a square foot! I had the pleasure of travelling down I-93 and ending up in Littleton. I absolutely loved it. Here's where I need your help, what is life like in these counties? What is the difference between counties, say between Coos and Grafton(Geography,population, cost of living, jobs). We have started to look on Realator.com but have been horrified to find home prices through the roof. What county or area is more affordable? I am single and would like to meet ppl. Is it hard to make new friends? Is it hard to find ppl to date? Lastly, my mother is a teacher with a masters in Administration. She has been teaching 11th and 12th grade English. I read that there may be a recipricol agreement to attract teachers to Northern N.H.. Would it be hard or even impossible for her to find a teaching possition? One more thing(sorry) we are looking at New Hamp. but would Vermont or Maine be a plausable option? Thank you all so much! We really need all the help we can get and I figured no one really knows an area like the locals, statistics can only tell you so much. Take care everyone and I look forward to any/all advice and comments. lil red 0005
wow, that's quite a change in climate you're looking at. Are you sure you want to go to northern NH? Not that you wouldn't be welcome, but... it's hard on people used to the FL climate and population density (even if you don't like it, the easy access to stores and such if often taken for granted). and especially the long cold winters. Just make sure you think really hard... NH does not get the sunshine FL does.
Ok, one think you'll come to learn is that while NH has counties, they do very little compared to many other states. Here in MD, almost everything is run by the county (with only a little run at the local level). You identify by your county, you're taxed to death by your county, your county oversees all the schools....
In NH... it's not that way at all. You're lucky if some people even know what county they live in! They county mostly comes in to play for it's court system: juries and some prisons. Mostly, that's about it. The schools are run by the individual town or a couple towns banding together for a regional system. The majority of the taxes stays in the town (a good thing!). So, asking about the general difference between counties doesn't really get you much. It's the towns you want to look at. And each town has a different tax rate.
There are a few people on here who live in Littleton, it's a frequent thread (my! Littleton much be growing!!) and most people really enjoy it. If you need a map that shows you all the towns, check out //www.city-data.com/forum/new-h...geography.html there are some really useful maps on there. And then you can go into nneren.com to see what's available. Remember, prices vary between towns - not so much counties. There's not as many jobs up north as down south, and it's colder longer up north. It's also not as densely populated (by NH standards), and it's extremely beautiful. How about something around the Lakes region?
Thank you so much for your kind reply! Being relatively new, I'm always afraid no one will write back-LOL. So I take it you're from N.H.. I have definetly considered the winters and although I've been in N.H.,ME., VT in the winters, I know it's not the same as living there. My mom grew up in an even colder climate(upper Midwest) and I am so so tired of this heat. It is so depressing to realize that by mid-Feb. your winter is over. Down here we have no seasons except winter(lasts 2-3 mo) and summer. With the mildness of winter, it's almost like yr. round summer. I'm sure many love this but I HATE it and can't wait for a change. Thanks for the links and for the info about counties/towns. Where is the "lakes region"? I hear about it frequently but don't know where it is. I also wanted to ask how new ppl are treated. Are new residents viewed with suspicion, like annoying "flatlanders"? Will we eventually be accepted? I look forward to meeting new folks. I look forward to your replies! Take care, lil redBtw, I'm on a PDA & it takes paragraph spaces out so sorry that posts are all one big paragraph.
It is very cold in Northern NH. It can be dismal and the cold and lack of sun can make northern NH seem like hell. Now I am sure people are going to think that I am a big meany but oh gosh some of the people that live up here well I don't know what happened but they seem to be missing something like brain cells. Gulp ...
Hi lilred - My husband and I have lived here in Littleton since April of 2006....almost 3 years, doesn't seem that long
As others have said, it does get downright COLD up here and we do get quite a bit of snow, so you need to be prepared for that. We don't get many ice storms, in fact, I don't remember any ice storms in the 3 years we've been here - we might get some freezing drizzle, but it's nothing major and the roads are taken care of very well, at least compared to where we were in NYS before relocating.
There are many days with little to no sun in the winter, so if you *need* the sun, this area isn't for you. Winter can be depressing, if you're predisposed to that, luckily neither my husband nor I are, so it hasn't troubled us.
We were accepted in the area, albeit slowly - Once people realize you don't want to change things and are ready to try new things, and if you are open and honest (sorta what you see is what you get kind of mind-set and "projection") you'll do okay. My husband and I are probably close to your mom in age - I'm 55, husband is 60.
Jobs up here are not prevelent. My husband was laid off in September, then again in November of last year, but was hired in January at another place for quite a bit less money - luckily, I work from home and my income is steady and stable. The biggest employers in the area are, I believe Hitchner Manufacturing and Littleton Regional Hospital. Here's a link for all things Littleton: Littleton, New Hampshire .
I *think* the prinicipal of Littleton High School is resigning at the end of the year, I don't know if that position has been filled yet, if not, your mom might want to contact them. Here's a link to the school: http://www.littletonschools.org/
There are all kinds of people up here - Some like Aptor mentioned who seem to be missing a few (or more than a few) brain cells, but we haven't met many of them - we have met some. My husband, besides now being a woodworker/furniture maker (used to be IBM) is also a musician and we've met many people through that - very nice, intelligent and wonderful people of all ages.
I don't think Littleton had a big "run up" in the cost of houses as many areas of the country did. I *think* the median price of a house is somewhere between 170K and 200K, but don't quote me on that.
I suppose I should qualify my answer that I do work at a place that I come in contact with many that are "missing a few". Many of the "missing a few" crowd are very nice...although I wouldn't want to date them I also do seem to be a magnet for the above said "missing a few" crowd. I sit down for a Latte on my lunch break and somebody joins me at DD to have a coffee with me...oh well at least they like me
Is the paper mill still running in Berlin..? I "almost" relocated to Northern NH back in the mid 90's...It is beautiful...and the folks seemed basically fine.....but when folks say cold.....they mean cold....when they say "little sunshine"....they mean "little sunshine"....you might not notice the negative impact on the national economy quite so noticable in Northern NH, because those folks are surviviors and living on less for many years. Florida to Northern NH....what a change...One poster suggested the "lakes region"....that was a very considerate suggestion.
Belknap county is in central NH. That's where the Lakes Region is located. I consider Belknap county the best of both worlds. It's rural, but has good shopping, decent jobs, and quick access to Concord NH, the state capital. It's cold with a lot of snow, but much less so than a place like Coss county.
I suppose I should qualify my answer that I do work at a place that I come in contact with many that are "missing a few". Many of the "missing a few" crowd are very nice...although I wouldn't want to date themI also do seem to be a magnet for the above said "missing a few" crowd. I sit down for a Latte on my lunch break and somebody joins me at DD to have a coffee with me...oh well at least they like me
Aptor - you made me laugh out loud with the bolded comment! When I was single, I called myself a "nutmagnet" because of all the weird people I seemed to attract, either to date or just be around!
I lived in the Lakes Region of NH for more than 25 years (Belmont and Laconia)....The Lakes region takes in the towns around Lake Winnepesaukie....Winnesquam.....Squam Lake....and myriad other lakes and ponds.....It is a very beautiful region......and more central....than Coos county....and no where near as isolated.....or rural. There is more social oppurtunity and it is much easier to reach concord. manchester or even Boston.
Property prices depend on the town and on the proximity to water.....and town taxes pretty much support the local schools ..... so there are school systems that have many more resources than others....poor towns rich towns.
If you are using a real estate MSL site to look for property....you might want to look at Laconia, Gilmanton, Sanbornton, Meridith, Wolfeboro, Belmont, Canterbury, Gilford, Meridith Center, Alton.
I like the Lakes Region very much...I liked to visit up north but really didnt ever want to move up there.
Regarding your question of being accepted.....I seldom felt any hostility.....BUT if youre not native born ..... you are never considered local.....my kids were pre-school and elementary school aged when we moved there.....they would never be considered "from New Hampshire".....and even after I had lived in my house for 20 years....locals still refered to it as by the name of the previous owner....."Oh youre the folks that moved into the [Doe's} place....and some went even further back and used the name of the people who built the house some 80 before that. Way back when I moved there in the 1960's......I did get some flack about being a "G.D. hippie". But since then the area has had a great many more "outsiders" move in and those distinctions are less and less.
If I said anything at a town meeting....someone who disagreed might make a reference to my not being from the town....(never mind not from NH); this would be especially true if I were supporting something that might increase the tax rate.
Good Luck to you.
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Thank You
Gulp ...
I also do seem to be a magnet for the above said "missing a few" crowd. I sit down for a Latte on my lunch break and somebody joins me at DD to have a coffee with me...
oh well at least they like me
