Why is household median income so high in New Hampshire? (Merrimack: living in, groceries)

[BF66389]

I found some other info:
"NH has Lowest Poverty Rate in US" (2008)
New Hampshire Has Lowest Poverty Rate In United States - wbztv.com (http://wbztv.com/local/newhampshire/new.hampshire.poverty.2.804186.html - broken link)

and another:
"Despite Low Poverty Rate, One in Seven NH Families is Low Income"
Despite Low Poverty Rate, One In Seven N.H. Families Is Low-Income

So in short, compared to the rest of the nation NH is pretty well off...but that doesn't mean the rest of the nation is well off.

[buck naked]

it doesn't take much to drive up the median income in the lakes region - Mitt Romney alone has five properties valued at over $10M each

add the former owner of the Loudon race track who pays an annual property tax of $365K or $1K per day and you have really skewed numbers - those are merely a couple of examples - the poor in those towns (Wolfeboro/Alton) become invisible.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by buck naked

it doesn't take much to drive up the median income in the lakes region - Mitt Romney alone has five properties valued at over $10M each

add the former owner of the Loudon race track who pays an annual property tax of $365K or $1K per day and you have really skewed numbers - those are merely a couple of examples - the poor in those towns (Wolfeboro/Alton) become invisible.

I do realize that for sure. Also, the counties in NH are very large and comprise many different towns. I always say to my friend: every town in NH is different with its own individual flavor.

[StAcKhOuSe]

bring some of that money my way. im dirt poor

[POhdNcrzy]

Originally Posted by GregW

Mid state has a lower income level and North of the Notch has dismal income levels since the paper mills closed down and they did not pay all that well.

Greg, which notch?

Pinkham Notch?

Franconia Notch?

Carter Notch?

Crawford Notch?

Nice answers from you NH'ers. I tried to rep some of you but tonight the "rep button" has gone AWAL. Damn computers!!!!!!!!

[nhplanner]

"But I thought New Hampshire was pretty rural, with an economy based on (heck, I don't know) tourism and farming and bucolic stuff like that."

I think you're getting New Hampshire confused with Vermont

Although much of the land is rural in New Hampshire, most of the people live in the suburbanized southern tier where there are good-paying jobs, thus the high household income. You sort of get the best of both worlds, with opportunity for some country living without being dirt poor.

[CaseyB]

Originally Posted by POhdNcrzy

Nice answers from you NH'ers. I tried to rep some of you but tonight the "rep button" has gone AWAL. Damn computers!!!!!!!!

The "quick rep" is temporarily disabled due to some problems with one of the browsers, I believe. You can still rep someone using the balance scales in the upper right.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by nhplanner

"But I thought New Hampshire was pretty rural, with an economy based on (heck, I don't know) tourism and farming and bucolic stuff like that."

I think you're getting New Hampshire confused with Vermont

Although much of the land is rural in New Hampshire, most of the people live in the suburbanized southern tier where there are good-paying jobs, thus the high household income. You sort of get the best of both worlds, with opportunity for some country living without being dirt poor.

Carroll County does not benefit from any other jobs that are not tourism related for the most part. 16 highway was bustling today with all of the weekenders coming up to the lakes. I noticed that Ossipee has declined somewhat overall. Some land was also clearcut on the right side of the road south of West Ossipee. I wondered if they were putting in a new store or shop- or if it was very bad logging job.

[Dwatted Wabbit]

I see this "can't afford to live here, much less retire here, unless you're a millionaire" argument a lot on the Vermont side.

"Legislature doesn't know how to/doesn't want to encourage business, they want only rich New Yorkers/southern New Englanders here in the summer," etc.

LOTS more complaints. Face it, no matter how high taxes go, the people hired to allocate resources responsibly will spend it.
And growing up poor is the #1 motivator in getting out of poverty.
Does anyone here (other than Kennedy fanboyz/girlz) think any of the Kennedy family would amount to a hill of beans if there wasn't buckets of family money? No, most of them would be barflys or junkies, in jail or rehab, or on the lam or six feet under.

NH is one of the states we're still considering for what we hope will be our final move. Unfortunately there's not nearly as much land available as in Maine.

[GregW]

Franconia Notch as a metafore for the North Country.