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Originally Posted by Mr. V
Dogg is probably correct about earning money elsewhere, and spending a portion of it in NH.
But, off on a tangent...
I had to decide years ago where to live; growing up in NJ, we always spent a couple weeks during the summer vacationing on the lake; I toyed with settling in NH, but chose not to for several reasons.
*these are my opinions, and NOT tossed out to flame*
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Mr V. You have great insight as to what New Hampshire is about and are lucky that you found a spot that you like, yet wasn't New Jersey. I'm glad that you still appreciate what NH has to offer enough to cross the country for it. You said that you see the glass, half-empty. Here is the way I see the half that is full.
NH is a "hardscrabble" state, economically. There are not a lot of lucrative opportunities for a self-starting professional. Hardscrapple is one of the best ski runs on Cannon Mountain, and indeed, represents the state well. The job opportunities are here, just like they are in India. The 'virtual office' for the professional is anywhere that there is telecommunications. Much of NH is in fine shape for professionals to live in the woods, by a ski area, the seacoast, or a lake. There could still be additional Internet infrastructure added to some regions and while Manchester is a good airport, if you are in the NH north country it is a bit far away.
NH is somewhat of a cultural desert, at least compared to what is offered to someone living in or near a good sized city. The nearest city, Boston, way outclasses much of what NH has to offer, but Boston is only an hour away for about half of the state's population. NH is something like 90% white anglo, so it can be a desert outside the cities for other cultures. However, its cities of Concord, Nashua, Manchester, and Portsmouth compare well to the Mass cities of Lowell, Lawrence, and Fitchburg. NH has small cities. Heck, the population of the whole state of NH is just a fraction of Boston's, and only twice the population of your city.
NH schools are reputed to be spotty, due to your bizarre tax structure. With schools, outsiders that move in have a choice of towns. Each has local control of its schools. You can pay high taxes for a very good school or pay lower taxes for a good school. You are reminded of the price of the freedom, to choose your school district every time you get a tax bill. Many like it that way - its part of the hardscrapple. Overall, the schools are quite good, but there are a few cities that could use
a state handout for their schools while they work on getting back on their feet.
Rural New Englanders are reputed to be a bit clannish and aloof to outsiders. Ah-yup. Not as bad as LA, not as good as in the mid-west. Something to do with the long dark winters. Plus, we have to question the sanity of anyone that wants to live here. If you are second generation NH citizen, you have nothing to worry about.
Things are a bit boring in NH, a bit too laid back, too slow. Slow and laid back doesn't always have to be boring. You can spend hours just reading the Winni forum - how is that for excitement!?
Long, cold winters are not necessarily a good thing. But, a long cold winter is not necessarily a bad thing either. We get earlier ice on the lake and deeper snow on the trails. In the spring, the lake is safe into March and the skiing lasts into April. I'll admit April can be boring, laid back and slow, clanish and make people aloof while waiting for the ice to melt - but, seriously, if you like winter sports, snowstorms, and tending woodstoves, NH has great winters right in your back-yard, and $49, 3-hour plane rides to Florida on Southwest Air. 