I am from the state formerly known as the Land of Lincoln. You remember, the most corrupt state in the country where our current Head Pickpocket, I mean President, hails from. Anyways, after 55 years of this madness it is obvious things aren't changing and my wife and I are looking for greener pastures, or at least a place that does not have a red light camera at every intersection. After researching a number of states with FREEDOM as our highest criteria we are planning a trip to New Hampshire in June to tour the area and give consideration to moving there in a couple years when our careers wind down.
Does anybody have any suggestions for places to visit in New Hampshire that might be appealing to settle down in?
We would like to be kind of in the country but close enough to a metropolitan location to have access to health care, etc. My criteria is that I want to get out in the wide open spaces but I don't want to be more than 30 minutes from a good pizza. Thanks for any help/advice you can offer.
Does anybody have any suggestions for places to visit in New Hampshire that might be appealing to settle down in?
We would like to be kind of in the country but close enough to a metropolitan location to have access to health care, etc. My criteria is that I want to get out in the wide open spaces but I don't want to be more than 30 minutes from a good pizza. Thanks for any help/advice you can offer.
Lots of MA folks moved to NH because of the lower taxes...and now they've elected people who want to raise taxes. (Yeah, I know.)
FPW
FAQ
"It means 'Ask the next question.' Ask the next question, and the one that follows that, and the one that follows that. It's the symbol of everything humanity has ever created." Theodore Sturgeon.
We love NH! We vacation in Portsmouth each year. It's very much like a local city where we live with many small businesses and some character. Plus the best wood fired flatbread pizza place! Omg, now I want one of their taco pizzas!
Anywhere we have been in southern NH has looked like a nice place to live. If 90% of my family didnt live where we currently live, we'd move there in a heartbeat. We've also seriously considered VT since its closer. But honestly, living in NY most states would be an improvement in tax rates and most "big government" type activities. We also own firearms, which makes things interesting lately. Plus the practice act/scope of practice for my profession is about 15-20 years behind a good chunck of the country. Maybe if my cousins scatter after college we'll actually leave, but for now NY it is.
Anywhere we have been in southern NH has looked like a nice place to live. If 90% of my family didnt live where we currently live, we'd move there in a heartbeat. We've also seriously considered VT since its closer. But honestly, living in NY most states would be an improvement in tax rates and most "big government" type activities. We also own firearms, which makes things interesting lately. Plus the practice act/scope of practice for my profession is about 15-20 years behind a good chunck of the country. Maybe if my cousins scatter after college we'll actually leave, but for now NY it is.
This will all depend on your definition of good pizza. :p
I grew up on the Mass/NH border near the ocean. There are no "big cities" in NH, not like Chicago at any rate. The closest city of size is Boston (about an hour from the border in traffic, less if you are lucky and/or drive like a maniac). On the plus side, you're near the woods and numerous lakes almost anywhere in the state. Plus, the beaches are awesome. I might be slightly biased since I grew up there.
Northern NH is way far and if you want to be near civilization, you don't want to live there.
Remember that NH is part of New England, which is in general very liberal compared to other parts of the country. The New England states are small and it's very hard to remain insular like you can in a large state. You should also check NH laws in whatever specific areas you're interested in to make sure it's as "free" as you think it is. It's not a lawless paradise, LOL.
I grew up on the Mass/NH border near the ocean. There are no "big cities" in NH, not like Chicago at any rate. The closest city of size is Boston (about an hour from the border in traffic, less if you are lucky and/or drive like a maniac). On the plus side, you're near the woods and numerous lakes almost anywhere in the state. Plus, the beaches are awesome. I might be slightly biased since I grew up there.
Northern NH is way far and if you want to be near civilization, you don't want to live there.
Remember that NH is part of New England, which is in general very liberal compared to other parts of the country. The New England states are small and it's very hard to remain insular like you can in a large state. You should also check NH laws in whatever specific areas you're interested in to make sure it's as "free" as you think it is. It's not a lawless paradise, LOL.
Thanks for the quick response. It's not just taxes. It's about personal freedom. I live next door to a bankrupt city(Chicago) with the most restrictive gun laws in the country and we have the highest murder rate. Government just isn't and never will work in my lifetime here. My wife was alerted to the Free State Project (http://freestateproject.org/) and it sparked our interest. At a time when our kids are grown and gone to opposite ends of the country to pursue their own American dream (or what's left of it) it is a good time for us to consider places to live that are more in line with our values of freedom and personal responsibility. We have not limited our search to the USA but staying here would be our desire if we can find a place that still respects the tenets that our country was formed on.
"The Government that governs best ... governs least."- Thomas Jefferson
“A democracy is always temporary in nature;
it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.
A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover
that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.
From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates
who promise the most benefits from the public treasury,
with the result that every democracy will finally collapse
due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship”- Alexander Tytler 1787
“A democracy is always temporary in nature;
it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.
A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover
that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.
From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates
who promise the most benefits from the public treasury,
with the result that every democracy will finally collapse
due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship”- Alexander Tytler 1787