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The future Maine VS NH
- Thread starter Ultrarunner
- Start date
ChevyGuy91
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I am not hating, just pointing out that when people scoff at how expensive NH is, it is usually because they are being double taxed by working in MA or occasionally ME.
lancecolonel
NES Member
this is why we chose maine. our jobs are in mass and we unfortunately can't change that. property tax rate in our maine town is actually lower than the town we lived in in mass plus we got way more house for the money then we would have in either n.h. or mass (with our specific criteria).
correct, living in NH and working in Ma. gets you double whacked.
Not quite considering on average a lot of MA jobs will pay better, so its often either a wash or still a slight advantage to work in MA. Obviously everyone's case is different....
-Mike
I'm not worried about commuting at all. In fact Colebrook is a town I'd consider..
I have to do the NH to MA commute thing .. It takes an hour which may sound awful. But there are ways to make it better.... I only have to commute to the outer edge of the Boston metro area, no way would I do this if my job was in or near Boston. And I can work at home 2 or 3 days a week. The commute is relatively pleasant and not usually any traffic.
Meanwhile you have people living in places like Plymouth MA (where I grew up) taking 2 hours each way to drive into Boston and be in a fit of rage by the time they arrive then have to pay $30 to park. No thanks.... I will stick with this rural NH location.
But the double taxation does suck. My taxes overall would be less if I was ONLY paying the excessive NH property taxes.
Meanwhile you have people living in places like Plymouth MA (where I grew up) taking 2 hours each way to drive into Boston and be in a fit of rage by the time they arrive then have to pay $30 to park. No thanks.... I will stick with this rural NH location.
But the double taxation does suck. My taxes overall would be less if I was ONLY paying the excessive NH property taxes.
Property taxes are better in Maine, however my understanding is they tax your retirement as income. So between income tax (approx 7% depending on income level) and sales tax (5.5%) Maine is a non starter for me. For my business as well they are also starting to put the squeeze on multi-family investors, my business partner and I have a few clients that are dumping their portfolio in Maine for multi's in NH.
I love living in NH. The seacoast has it's up's and downs but is small enough and has industry to support the area. Also has good schools and stuff to do with kids. I LOVED living in the lakes region but the industry in that area is largely tourist based (although that is starting to change, they are bringing in some medical and tech companies). For us it was tough to raise kids in the lakes region with no family nearby to help which is why we jumped to Portsmouth, but we still own the home in the lakes region and to me that is "home". We just live in Portsmouth for now (will move to Greenland or Rye next to get more land/ space).
Not everyone who moves here from MA is a moonbat. Matter of fact ALL the people I've worked with from MA have been trying to escape the moonbattery and oppression. We have more homegrown moonbats than most realize.
I love living in NH. The seacoast has it's up's and downs but is small enough and has industry to support the area. Also has good schools and stuff to do with kids. I LOVED living in the lakes region but the industry in that area is largely tourist based (although that is starting to change, they are bringing in some medical and tech companies). For us it was tough to raise kids in the lakes region with no family nearby to help which is why we jumped to Portsmouth, but we still own the home in the lakes region and to me that is "home". We just live in Portsmouth for now (will move to Greenland or Rye next to get more land/ space).
Not everyone who moves here from MA is a moonbat. Matter of fact ALL the people I've worked with from MA have been trying to escape the moonbattery and oppression. We have more homegrown moonbats than most realize.
NH reps/sens get a small stipend instead of a free ride. They are all business people who work for a living and basically donate their time in the legislature. Since they are affected by the laws they pass (unlike MA & US Congress), they are very much less likely to bend over for the Moms against this and that! In this regard I have no idea how ME operates, so that might be a plus for NH or make them equal.
In MA I live in one of the highest RE taxed towns and it seems that SE NH is on-par wrt RE taxes. Housing prices ($300-450K range) seem to be somewhat lower than what the house would go for down here.
As one approaches retirement or is in retirement, NH offers NO income tax, NO inheritance tax (MA is 16% from the first dollar if total assets are $1,000,001 . . . I've been told that the %-age increases with estate value) and NO sales tax. ME has all of these (don't know %-ages). With the new IRS tax laws, most of us will no longer be able to deduct both RE and Income taxes, so it becomes a bigger factor.
As for moonbats, they exist everywhere but I just think that politicians are more insulated from them in NH. If a state rep/sen in NH loses, they lose what $200/yr income. In MA, if they lose, they lose $160K+ and their jobs. No idea wrt ME.
I think that the moonbats from MA moving to NH can be kept in check for a good long time due to the way their gov't is structured. No place is perfect and vigilance is always required.
In MA I live in one of the highest RE taxed towns and it seems that SE NH is on-par wrt RE taxes. Housing prices ($300-450K range) seem to be somewhat lower than what the house would go for down here.
As one approaches retirement or is in retirement, NH offers NO income tax, NO inheritance tax (MA is 16% from the first dollar if total assets are $1,000,001 . . . I've been told that the %-age increases with estate value) and NO sales tax. ME has all of these (don't know %-ages). With the new IRS tax laws, most of us will no longer be able to deduct both RE and Income taxes, so it becomes a bigger factor.
As for moonbats, they exist everywhere but I just think that politicians are more insulated from them in NH. If a state rep/sen in NH loses, they lose what $200/yr income. In MA, if they lose, they lose $160K+ and their jobs. No idea wrt ME.
I think that the moonbats from MA moving to NH can be kept in check for a good long time due to the way their gov't is structured. No place is perfect and vigilance is always required.
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Corporate office is different than the store lolBTW, two different companies I'm interviewing at (for IT jobs) are on either side of Sig Sauer (in Portsmouth)... Depending on the amount of time for lunch, I might be able to go there to look things over.
Yes I am. I live on the Seacoast and have my entire life (aside from a short stint in Nashua).
If you want enough acreage for current use and you want to be able to afford it, you have to live away from the seacoast and southern NH.
It is hard to find homes for less than 300K on the seacoast that are not tiny or built in the 19th century.
http://nhpr.org/post/what-kind-housing-does-nh-need-and-why-dont-we-have-enough-it#stream/0
While some hospitals in NH are clearly way better than some others, one nice thing about NH and Maine is the relative proximity to the many specialized and high quality medical facilities in Boston.
Anything in New England beats Montana...and I'm 29 so hopefully major medical issues are 40 years down the road or more!
Lip
Army Veteran
Funny, dosent Ma live off our booze, smokes and fireworks? Lols
It's true that there are more companies in MA and a number of higher profile industries and companies. But there is plenty in in NH as well and MA is very reliant on some of them. C&S Wholesale Grocers in Keene is THE leading wholesale grocery. It is a $29B private company. This is just an example of the kind of not-flashy, low profile, company you can find in NH. And MA definitely feeds off them.
Soloman is pretty spot on here. There's 5 current active listings on MLS in Rockingham and Strafford county with at least 10 acres up to $325K
Click Here to View Listings
When you get to the middle part of the state options open up (Hillsborough and Merrimack county).
Click Here to View Listings
For 16 years my wife pined to return home and be with her family. After 2 years of being near her family, I started talking about retiring in AZ to get a feel for her opinion. Her immediate reply was sure, let's go. It's not what she remembered, she changed, they remained the same. I dodged a bullet it seems.
You can visit family and it's special time together. Obviously, your mileage may vary. I didn't vote, not my dog in the hunt.
You can visit family and it's special time together. Obviously, your mileage may vary. I didn't vote, not my dog in the hunt.
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The more im on Zillow looking the more I find that RE taxes between MA and NH arent all that different. Depending where you are. A 300k colonial on 5 acres north of Fitchburg area in Rindge or New Ipswich averages 5-6K. Same house in towns around me in MA almost the same.
I also see that MA RE taxes go only one way....up. NH fluctuates up and down.
ProGun
NES Member
I know it would be a non-issue in NH (no income tax outside of interest/dividends); but if someone still living/working in MA were to buy a second home in ME and decide to reside there part-time (and register to vote in ME instead of wasting a vote in MA) would get dinged with ME income tax?
I know the portland area is just as bad as a place like MA but what about the rest of the coast? I want to live in the woods, I just don't want to live 3 hours from something other than a convenience store. Haven't explored much past the Scarborough area
SMASHING MACHINE
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NH has the upper hand.
ChevyGuy91
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3 or 4 years ago my town actually lowered the tax rate for a year or 2. It happens, smaller towns tend to have the people show up and vote on the budgets, so the town's stay within their means.
There's only 35,000+ square miles to explore. There's a lot of area between Portland and 3 hours from something other than a convenience store. Whatever you are looking for in land, it's here.
Asaltweapon
NES Member
Portland area is hardly Maine. Truthfully its nothing more than northern Massachusetts.
My trips both north and south start to suck and get better around Augusta.
My trips both north and south start to suck and get better around Augusta.
Live in MA. Hopefully will end up in the western mountains of Maine. The people and country are great. Everyone just wants to be left alone to live their life and enjoy the Outdoors. If you ever need a hand everybody's willing to help out.
Maine, Vermont and Connecticut all rank in the top 5 states for total tax burden. Maine should never have put in a state income tax.
https://bangordailynews.com/2013/02...perspective-how-maine-acquired-an-income-tax/
Tax rate in my town has gone down slightly in recent years, mostly due to anti-tax resident activists. While there's been quite a bit of variability in my biannual tax bill, ultimately the trend is upwards:
I do think the New Hampshire approach of keeping most taxation hyper-local is part of what keeps the overall tax burden lower than our neighboring states with their state income tax.
https://bangordailynews.com/2013/02...perspective-how-maine-acquired-an-income-tax/
Tax rate in my town has gone down slightly in recent years, mostly due to anti-tax resident activists. While there's been quite a bit of variability in my biannual tax bill, ultimately the trend is upwards:
I do think the New Hampshire approach of keeping most taxation hyper-local is part of what keeps the overall tax burden lower than our neighboring states with their state income tax.
KBCraig
NES Member
I have to LOL at people talking about $300k houses... are you insane? Buying a house is a lifestyle choice. You will pay accordingly, but your choices are your choices, not anyone else's.
I know, it's all about balancing what you get in return, but I LOL'd at people in Texas for the same reason. When I bought my first house, a suburban ranch 3/2/2 on over half an acre, my coworkers said, "Wow! What does your wife do for a living?" Uhhh... she's a housewife at home with our son. But we didn't have two new fancy cars, a boat, 4-wheelers, a hunting lease, etc., etc; our "big house" cost us a lot less than my coworkers living in doublewides with lots of extraneous toys, who ate out 10 times a week.
I've met Soloman, and I consider him a friend. But, his NH is not my NH. He's young on the Seacoast; I'm semi-retired in Coös County. My property value and taxes are just about the same as what I left behind in Texas. My daily living expenses (groceries, gasoline) are slightly higher. My electricity per kWH is higher, but I'm not running air conditioning 11.5 months of the year; annual costs are much less. Vehicle insurance? Half. Water/sewer/trash? Way less than half.
I live exactly one mile from my part-time job. If I didn't enjoy spending every possible moment at home, I'd walk to work. I have two 2001 vehicles, and my total mileage between them is less than 1,500 miles per year. I have no loans.
Creat the life you want to live. Don't use other people's choices as your standard.
I know, it's all about balancing what you get in return, but I LOL'd at people in Texas for the same reason. When I bought my first house, a suburban ranch 3/2/2 on over half an acre, my coworkers said, "Wow! What does your wife do for a living?" Uhhh... she's a housewife at home with our son. But we didn't have two new fancy cars, a boat, 4-wheelers, a hunting lease, etc., etc; our "big house" cost us a lot less than my coworkers living in doublewides with lots of extraneous toys, who ate out 10 times a week.
I've met Soloman, and I consider him a friend. But, his NH is not my NH. He's young on the Seacoast; I'm semi-retired in Coös County. My property value and taxes are just about the same as what I left behind in Texas. My daily living expenses (groceries, gasoline) are slightly higher. My electricity per kWH is higher, but I'm not running air conditioning 11.5 months of the year; annual costs are much less. Vehicle insurance? Half. Water/sewer/trash? Way less than half.
I live exactly one mile from my part-time job. If I didn't enjoy spending every possible moment at home, I'd walk to work. I have two 2001 vehicles, and my total mileage between them is less than 1,500 miles per year. I have no loans.
Creat the life you want to live. Don't use other people's choices as your standard.
