Retiring in NH – yes or no?

If you like to involve yourself in presidential affairs, New Hampshire might just be the perfect place for you. NH is a first presidential-primary state, with numerous candidates setting up offices. It also gets visits from those same candidates numerous times. Retiring in NH is a perfect way to involve yourself in these matters if you so choose. It will definitely not be boring! If you are moving to Pelham, movers Pelham NH are at your service! They are at your service if you want to move anywhere else, as well!

Retiring in NH – The spirit of New Hampshire

You can find the spirit of New Hampshire in its state motto “Life Free or Die”. If this is something that resonates within you, you might have come to the right place! This spirit transcends politics and describes a way of life for most of the NH residents.  David Watters, the renowned professor at New Hampshire University mentions that there is a strong cultural feeling of independence in NH, due to the astounding connection to tradition and a great sense of place.

More than just the spirit

However, the spirit of the Granite State is not the only thing that attracts people to retire here. Retiring in NH has a lot more benefits than that. The cost of living is quite reasonable here, as almost anywhere in New England. True, it is almost 18% higher than the national average, if you trust Best Places, but is considered a true bargain when compared with its neighboring states.

For example, the cost of living in NH is approximately 20% less than Massachusetts and almost 10% lower than NY state. Homes are cheaper, too. In Massachusets, an average home will set you down for around $280,000 and buying a home in the Empire State will cost you around $230,000. You can get a similar home in New Hampshire for only $180,000. You do not really need to worry about moving into NH, moving companies NH are among the best in the business! Now there is something you can stand behind!

But wait, what about taxes?

When it comes to taxes, retiring in NH will sound like a really good idea to some. The income tax, which is 5%, applies only to interest and dividends, not to IRA distributions or salaries! But there is more. There is no sales tax in New Hampshire.

Let that sink in for a bit and you will realize why NH is a really good place to retire in.

Retiring in NH – Safety

When it comes to, perhaps the most important factor, safety, NH does not disappoint. This state is widely considered as safe as they get. The murder rate is the lowest in the entire nation and the violent crime rate is the third-lowest! These are the reports that come directly from the FBI, from one of their programs, namely the UCRP (Uniform Crime Reporting Program).

Natural beauties of NH

There are many beautiful parts in the U.S. but you will be hard-pressed to find a place that has better availability to mountains, coastal beaches, and lakes. It is really quite unique. I mean, imagine going to the beach in the morning, enjoying a nice walk and going skiing in the afternoon! Also, there are quite a few historical houses in NH which, admittedly, are not natural beauties but they come pretty close!

Ski Trails

The gorgeous White Mountains will provide you with plenty of great ski tracks, and if you get bored of them, there are even more at Attitash Resort and yet more at Wild Cat Mountain. You will definitely have a lot of ski tracks to go to if that is your thing.

Hiking trails

The mountains do not offer only ski trails, they are quite forested and provide great hiking trails, over one thousand miles long, in total! You can easily lose yourself in all the natural beauties that you can see on these trails. The experience is quite unique and the trails are sufficiently varied so you will always have something new to discover!

Lakes and Ponds

If you love to fish, there is the Lake Region that is located in the center of the state. It has an insane amount of 273 lakes and ponds, all of which you can navigate with a boat. If you remember to pack your sailing equipment, you might have a lot of fun here! If you love boats and fishing, it is hard to beat NH.

Retiring in NH – Drawbacks

As with every other place, NH has its own drawbacks. You can’t get everything in a place, really. And that is alright. You need to carefully examine whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

Lack of big urban spaces

There are some drawbacks of retiring in NH, not everything is sunny, so to say. This state lacks huge cities, which serve as cultural centers and are full of urban amenities. However, Boston is within easy driving range and if you really cannot live without happenings, NYC is half a day drive away. But if you are used to living in the big cities, and cannot live without their amenities, NH might just not be for you.

Miscellaneous drawbacks

While the winters are really great for skiing, they do run quite cold. If you are really sensitive to cold, perhaps NH is not the ideal place for you. Then there is the property tax. It can run pretty high in many areas in NH and if you want to get to a retiree hot spot, you will need to pay a premium. Let’s say that you want to retire in Hanover, for example. Well, the cost of living is whopping 54% higher than the national average! How about them apples? Add to that the median home cost of nearly $385,000 and you soon realize what time it is.

However, if you are not dead set to go to these overpriced hotspots, NH has plenty to offer. It is not ideal but it might be perfect for you!