I think DH and I have decided we’d like to retire in NH. I grew up in the western part of the state, and we’re definitely interested in that area, but we’re also looking at Rockingham and Strafford counties near the coast as well. We’re looking for a short list of places to focus on. We like smallish towns (population 3000-10,000), access to decent shopping (good grocery stores and general retail), some cultural attractions, great outdoor spaces, and active communities. If anyone has suggestions for towns where we can focus our search, I’d love to hear them!
ETA: Adding that we’d like to be able to purchase a modest sized home with at least a few acres for $500k or less.
I absolutely love Portsmouth. My brother has a home on the water there. People in the community are very active. My first time there I couldn’t believe how many people were up early in the morning on the weekend walking. The downtown area is great as well. There are shops and restaurants of every type.
I grew up in western NH, too! I would look at Newmarket or Dover. We drive every summer from coastal Maine to the Stonewall Kitchen outlet in Rochester and the area around Rochester and Somersworth is less bustling than Portsmouth so prices are much more reasonable but you are still pretty close.
I am from CT (Fairfield County, of all places) originally, but have deep family roots in NH and have lived in Nashua for the past 30+ years. My mom lived in Keene for many years and I also have family in the Lebanon (Upper Valley) area.
As I start circling the drain we are also looking to move somewhere a little more interesting, and we are not going far, maybe NH, maybe Maine. We are also looking around the Portsmouth area, but it’s pricey, and if you want land, you’re probably looking a little farther inland. S19 goes to UNH, and loves Durham. There’s also Madbury next door.
I would not rule out Maine. The taxes in Maine are somewhat higher, but Maine has more coastline so prices near the coast seem lower (still $$) and there ought to be more availability. Property taxes in NH are high and vary A LOT between towns. There’s also a 5% interest and dividends tax, so for retirees I think the NH tax advantage over Maine is probably less than it is for working people. At some point I have to look at that, although part of me says “just live where you want to live”. I went to college in Maine (Colby), so Maine is very near and dear to me. For me it’s a tough (but good) choice.
We are also thinking about the Conway/North Conway/Bartlett area (touristy, though) and the New London area. We gave up skiing when we had kids, but may take it back up once they’re out.
The ocean has great allure, though. We are not lake people.
As far as Maine goes, we would probably consider anything up to Freeport or so. After that it gets a little too remote for us.
I would vote for Maine but I’m prejudiced. I’ve been a lot of places in the country and overseas, though, and I can’t think of anyplace else I prefer to live. We live in the woods on the Royal River. We’re about 2 1/2 miles from the ocean. There is a lot of property not far from the coast that’s not too expensive. There’s not much coast in New Hampshire.
My kids who have gone to college out-of-state and abroad tell me they now realize how great this state is (don’t tell my family in Texas I’m saying this!).
In New Hampshire, we really liked Rye, just south of Portsmouth. But I bet it’s very pricey.
Thanks for the suggestions so far. I will look into those. We absolutely love Maine, which is one of the reasons why eastern NH is so appealing. I think the areas in Maine that we like would be too expensive and perhaps too touristy/crowded. I love the Portland area (we are rural in CT but very close to anything we need, and like that) but DH has ruled that out. @ThisNameNotTaken interesting points about taxes. The lack of income or sales tax was definitely a plus for NH, and property taxes seem similar to where we live in CT. We need to research this more.
If we open up southern ME (say below Portland), what suggestions might you Mainers offer up? Same criteria as in the original post.
Look into Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro. These towns are in the east, near Maine on Lake Winnipesaukee. They are within an hour of Portsmouth and Durham, and equally close to the White Mountains to the north. Portland is an hour and a half away. You could also check Alton, which is also on the lake, south of Wolfeboro so a little closer to Portsmouth and Durham. In addition the towns of Gilmanton and Gilmanton Iron Works are both west of Alton.
Wolfeboro is a lovely small town that sees lots of tourist traffic in the summer and is very quiet in the winter. Tuftonboro is right next door. It is smaller and sees less tourist traffic while still offering relatively easy access to all necessary amenities.
Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro are on the eastern side of Lake Winnipesaukee. While not as close as the Portsmouth and Dover / Durham areas are to Maine, the border is a relatively short drive away. Many people from Maine cross the border to work in this part of NH, and vice versa. It takes about 30 minutes (roughly 20 miles) to reach the Maine border from either town. So, while not right on the border, for those of us who live here and are used to traveling to reach the coast, the capital region, or the White Mountains, it’s close. Of course it also depends on what part of Maine you want to be near. The coast and Portland are about an hour and a half away from my home. I consider this to be an easy day-trip, but those who are accustomed to living very close to the places they like to visit may feel differently.
@taverngirl Wolfeboro and Tuftonboro offer what you desire in terms of cultural pursuits, wide open spaces and active communities. This is an extremely popular area for retirees, however it might not be as close to the coast as you would like. If the ocean is what draws you, then I agree with posters who have recommended the Dover, Newmarket, Madbury and Durham areas. Rochester would likely not offer the type of environment you what are looking for, but the nearby towns of Barrington and Somersworth would be worth checking out.
We don’t need to be close to the water - under an hour would be nice so that if we wanted to spend a day at the beach we could do that.
Wells and York definitely too touristy for me. I grew up in a beach town and hated summers when all the outsiders came, and it took three times as long to get anywhere.
I suggested Stratham earlier. And I think it would get you what you want within your budget.
Hollis is really nice, but not sure it will come in at your price point.
Exeter is another good choice.
Durham is a college town but that also means that (in normal times) it has all the amenities a college town offers. If you don’t want to live IN Durham, Newmarket is closeby. Or Dover.
I will tell you where we looked in Maine in 1994, after having lived in Portland for seven years and getting to know the area. Falmouth, Cumberland, North Yarmouth, Yarmouth, Freeport, New Gloucester (a BEAUTIFUL little village), Durham, Pownal, and Gray. Yarmouth and Cumberland have ocean frontage and tend to be more expensive. North Yarmouth (where we live) is just inland but it’s still only three miles from the ocean. It’s not as expensive . The other towns I listed are even less expensive because their school districts aren’t as strong.
I think it’s a wonderful location because we have fairly quick access to Portland. We can also jump on I-295 and head north. It is so beautiful here and not touristy in the towns I listed.
There are also some nice communities south of Portland that are closer to beaches - Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth (very expensive), Biddeford, Saco, but we just like the area north of Portland, too. Saco might be looking into, though. It’s where my disabled son lives and it’s actually a pretty little town. It’s up and coming, for sure.
In NH, especially in parts of Rockingham and Hillsborough Counties, there have been some problems with PFAs/PFOAs contamination with drinking water so do your due diligence.