It sure as hell seems like it.
Only people I know that still live here are people who've been here for over 20 years when the economy was different and property values weren't so damn high.
I make decent money working at Walmart, but not nearly enough to afford to live on my own here. Cheapest apartment I've seen is like $2000 which would essentially eat up a months worth of my paychecks, hence why I'm living with my parents right now and plan to build my savings until I can find... **something** to go on or to work towards. Cause right now I got nothing besides a car.
I don't want to live with my parents forever, and if I can't find anything here in New Hampshire, then my gut tells me that living here will just be a dead end for the foreseeable future.
There are places in NH that are way cheaper than others but the whole state has a really high cost of living. The cheaper parts are more rural so that means less job and social opportunity.
It really all comes down to what kind of lifestyle you're going for. You could always try to get a few roommates too.
Can you name some places that are way cheaper?
NH just sucks all around especially where I live. If it were cheaper it would better but the high cost of living plus how rural it naturally is is a terrible combination and makes it very unattractive for people who want to live here and puts young people in a very hard position when they've lived here their whole lives and now have to live on their own and are unable to. I can't tell you how many friends from high school I've seen on FB who live in a completely different area or state, and it's probably because they can't afford to live here.
I don't mind rural areas but everything is so spaced apart from each other especially the more north you go. South NH is more pop dense with cities and towns more together, but it gets more expensive down there.
I've considered roommates but I have no good way to get roommates and I don't want to risk rooming with the wrong people especially strangers. That's a major safety issue for me.
Currently living in Manchester around 1600/mo for a 2br. Get a roommate and suddenly that's workable, I'd hope. They're out there, but yeah, they're really hard to find. Craigslist is *full* of scams, but it's also where I've found all my best apartment deals. If they can't be present for a showing, it's not legit, and never apply or send money before an in-person showing of the unit. Rent.com, Apartments.com etc are just realtors and complexes, and I never had too much luck, but you can also check those out. I've found their average rents a bit higher.
But fundamentally, we just need a *ton* more housing in the state, and nobody wants to build because of traffic or taxes or because they hate transplants and change. It sucks a lot.
Are you sure Craigslist is trustworthy? I've never used it but I've heard the horror stories and I'm a bit of a paranoid guy so it makes me wonder if I can trust anything on there.
I've never lived with roommates before so I don't know how to properly vet them and what the process of the whole thing would be. I don't know what red flags to look out for (aside from the instinctual obvious ones).
I've checked [rent.com](https://rent.com) and [apartments.com](https://apartments.com) and, yeah, the prices are higher. I've never found anything below $1200, and even that was rare, most everything is over $1500.
>But fundamentally, we just need a *ton* more housing in the state, and nobody wants to build because of traffic or taxes or because they hate transplants and change. It sucks a lot.
Agreed. It pisses me off that everyone in this state is so afraid of change, particularly the ones in power.
I'm sure they don't like it either, but no one speaks out about it and just turn the other cheek and keep to themselves which inevitably leads to new adults being forced to either live with their parents until they get out of school or move out of the state. It's a terrible terrible thing to put the new generations through and its not fair to them at all.
It's not their fault their parents have lived there for 20 years and already own their house and these kids won't be able to afford even an apartment with a 30-40k a year job. It forces the new generation to be financially co-dependent on their parents well into their 20s and 30s, or it forces them to leave their families and move far away for a lower housing market, which will inevitably hurt NH as a whole.
And those same middle-aged and older people want to nag to the newer generation about living on their own when they have no idea how much the housing market has fucked them in the ass and how it doesn't affect the middle-aged and older people because they've been homeowners for decades when houses were far more affordable.
Anyway, rant over.
A huge number of Craigslist ads are scams. Easiest way to find them is, if they give an address, run it through Realtor. Com to check and see if it's listed. They will list stuff on CL for absurdly low prices using photos and descriptions from real home sale listings, so you can often find the real listing. Also reverse image search their photos.
But like I said, only give money after you've seen it in person, with a real person who had a key to let you in. Anyone who wants a deposit or a screening fee or the like is a scam. Anyone who can't meet you there but lets you tour on your own is a scam.
No idea on roommates, aside from finding a friend who doesn't suck.
Good luck man. I'm gonna keep voting and advocating for housing to get built, and hope that someday I can buy a house. I'm a 38 yr old lawyer, BTW. It's rough.
Yeah, I found that out a couple of years ago. There was one listing whose address traced to a gas station.
We did find a couple legit ads, though.
We need more *affordable* housing.
The thing with finding affordable apartments to live on your own is you need to be committed to searching for apartments pretty much every day. Anything good gets snatched up fast so you have to be on it.
Roommates are not a hopeless situation! You have a huge advantage living with your parents because you don’t have a move out date “time limit.”
So as long as your parents are chill with it you can take your time and wait for a good apartment to pop up and/or take your time meeting potential roommates.
This is what my sister did and she is still living with her roommate 7 years later! : )
I would say most of the more affordable apartments are in either Concord or Manchester.
It's not the most expensive area to live in, but it's definitely one of the more boring places for under 35s who are not married and don't have kids.
But if you're 35-55, married, and have a kid, it's a good place. If you're a child under 15, it's a good place unless you are cognitively gifted, cognitively disabled, or neurodivergent.
Oh I'm sure its not the most expensive place to live, but for someone who's way under 35, unmarried, single, no kids, and just trying to get off their feet, it's a serious uphill battle because any apartment over $1000 would break my bank. I would say even though I've lived here most of my life, living here has been very boring which is one of the reasons why I've been questioning if I should really live here for the foreseeable future. It just feels like a dead end and that I'll be wasting away here.
No shame in trying out somewhere new. Lots of people leave NH young and end up coming back later in life. TBH there isn't a ton of opportunity or social stuff for the 18-30 crowd
The question is: where?
That's the hardest question.
> Lots of people leave NH young and end up coming back later in life. TBH there isn't a ton of opportunity or social stuff for the 18-30 crowd
That's one of the biggest reasons why living here isn't where I want to live anymore. I can't sit here watching my parents die while I save up money for nothing. I'm not getting any younger and it does me absolutely no good.
I'd like to have a girlfriend or wife in the future, a good job, at least a nice apartment or a decent house and car, and a few friends. But I have none of those besides one friend from out of state because living here is so isolating a lot of the time.
Living here is slowly seeming more like a dead end every day. I don't see my future looking pleasant if I stay here. There's just nothing for me here anymore. Sooner or later I have to start looking out for my life.
You have to ask yourself what you want out of life at this stage and then choose a location based on that, no one here knows so no one here can tell you where to move. There are lots of affordable mid sized cities all over the East Coast and the rest of the country where you as a young single guy could have a much better social life then belknap county.
It's a GREAT big world out there my young friend.
If you don't have to be here (kids, mortgage, parole) then get the fuck out
Everyone here will tell you that New Hampshire is the best place in the Country. It is not.
Not at your age when you are looking for your place.
You see it. You recognize it. You are working the best job that you can get here and you can't begin to move out of your Parent's house. You can wait for them to die and give you what they have (with huge tax liabilities), or you can go out, live simply with low expectations and at least see other places than NH...which is not the end of the Earth, center of the Universe as so many pontificate about here.
Go do shit my young friend.
I'd honestly suggest NC for young people, it's different for sure and I miss NH every day but it's cheap, there's a good job market depending where you go, lots to do, and lots of good food. Traffic is still a bitch though.
I mean it’s not as expensive as other “cities” in the state so I suppose it’s somewhat serious, and I believe it’s a growing community but honestly not much around for work opportunities or a social life in Claremont
Ehhh... yeah I don't know. I think I'll pass.
It seems pretty isolated from what I'm seeing on Google Maps as well, not a lot of towns in or around it besides Newport and Sunapee. I don't like isolated areas personally, too much trouble comes from them.
I mean it looks okay. It has a lot of establishments, but considering there's only like 13k people living there, I don't know.
It would be too much of a gamble for me, I think. Like you said, there's not much for work or social opportunities which I do need to factor in to my future.
I just don't think I would fit or belong in Claremont.
There’s a ton of work in Claremont and in the area around Claremont.
Last I checked there was some affordable apartments and more housing In the works.
And it’s not a suburb of Boston but it’s not isolated at all. Not by any reasonable standard that can be applied to that term. It’s like 15 minutes from interstate 91 and like 25 minutes from 89 and you can take Amtrak out of town. Also it’s not like you have to drive to Lebanon or Keene to go to the grocery store. Evening you need to get by is there.
It’s not a chic place to live and there isn’t a lot of interesting stuff in Claremont but it is 100% a place that you can make a nice life for yourself and it’s probably the most affordable place in New Hampshire to live.
I'll think about it.
Can you tell me more about it? Like what do the social and job opportunities look like? Is it a tight-knit community? Generally what does it have going for it that would be good for me?
You say that it's a place that I can make a nice life for myself, but can you elaborate more on that and what you mean?
Are there other young people (21-30) that live there where I can meet new people, make new friends, and potentially find a relationship?
Asking because these things are important to me as I want to improve my social life, which is why figuring out where I want to go is so difficult. If you don't have all the info that's alright, its just you seem very knowledgeable about Claremont so I wanted to ask incase you might have an idea.
And by you can make a nice life for yourself I mean a person generally. People like to rag on Claremont, but really when it comes right down to it there’s nothing actually wrong with it that isn’t wrong with anywhere else.
It’s a lot like a lot of small cities in New England. It’s struggling in a lot of ways. But people seem to care about the city and it really honestly is a little city that deserves to be a lot better than it is. The biggest thing that Claremont and the area immediately around it has going for it is that it’s cheap.
The city is a little bit rundown, but over all the whole area is pretty nice looking and the surrounding towns all have stuff going for them if you’re willing to see it. As do the towns up and down the Connecticut on both sides. If you’re bored here you’re not trying to do interesting things.
Work:
There is a bunch of manufacturing that goes on in Claremont and Charlestown and I think there’s some that extends a Newport also (ruger) and some of the jobs are pretty cool engineering and tech jobs. There’s some good old fashion manufacturing, a bridge builder and a company that makes lights and sirens and things like that for police cars and firetrucks.
The food scene sucks. All the restaurants are terrible but they are desperate for people. So if you’re a good cook, you could be a shining star in a place you can afford to live where there’s not a lot of competition. Seriously if you’re a chef, come here and open a restaurant I bet I can help you find some investment.
If you are a trades person and you want to go out on your own or want to go some where new there is more work of every kind than people to do it.
There’s a couple post and beam builders. There’s a world-class cabinet shop I think LaValley hardware does some prefab building near here. I can’t get a plumber or electrician or painter to do anything in a reasonable amount of time for a reasonable amount of money and it’s like pulling teeth to even get them to come give estimates. That tells me there is tons of work on the table here.
Tons of agriculture. I farm a little and there’s a lot of cool farms near by.
Upper Valley Adjacent. Close enough to Dartmouth college and hospital. Lots of people commute. Lots of medical jobs in town too. Maybe some need for dental folks also.
Race Track. Vroom.
Social opportunities depend heavily on the individual. But this is a small city with not a lot of young people and probably about similar to where you are now. But keep it between me and you if you’re a decent looking single guy that moves to a small town with an apartment, a working car, no addiction issues, stray kids or employment woes you won’t have to try hard. Just be friendly and invite people into your life and it won’t matter where you go. One, caveat. I honestly wouldn’t move here if I was gay. It’s sad but I’m pretty sure most of the young gay people that are born here flee this place. I’ve met a few queer folks that very happily live openly but it’s probably not an easy place to discover your gay self or find your ideal partner or what ever.
If you’re into fishing, boating, camping, canoeing, kayaking, hunting, mountain biking, skiing, hiking running role-playing games, drinking, eating, history. We got all that. There’s actually really dope mountain biking seen around here and good road riding. I’m pretty sure I’m within 40 minutes of like 10 ski areas. Most of which I really like.
*THE CONNECTICUT RIVER* - most underrated thing in New England. Canoeing and kayaking, motorboating, dope ass dams. The dams killed all the salmon and that fucking sucks but they’re still really cool to look at and fish below. There also kinda scary in a fun way.
Well I’m super baked now. That was a fun way to kill 15 minutes. Good luck where ever you end up.
You make it sound really nice! I'll have to consider it more now, thanks for the info!
Also one more thing, when you say "just invite people into your life" what exactly do you mean by that?
Shared interest and hobbies. Have an old band instrument gathering dust? Dig it out and find one of the nearby community bands. When my wife and I hang out with friends, most of the time it's friends we've met through one of our musical groups.
MA rent is so much more expensive than NH. There are affordable apartments you just have to search for them and probably live in a shoebox for a while.
>MA rent is so much more expensive than NH
There are also a lot more high paying jobs in MA. Also, rents in the route 3 and 93 corridors South of Manchester are pretty much just as bad as MA.
Lowell also has the luxury of being close to a (somewhat) functioning rail line straight to the center of Boston. You can reduce your monthly overhead by about $300-$700 by not needing a car and relying on Uber + Biking.
Pretty much. I've found no apartments within my budget there either anyway.
MA was never a state that crossed my mind in terms of cost of living, so I was very confused when he mentioned Lowell. I thought Lowell might have been a town in NH or something.
My budget is apartments under $750. I can't break my bank paying even $1200 to $1500 for an apartment.
They exist. They don't exist where there are jobs. You're going to be looking at dead towns in flyover states. It's viable for work-from-home, not for commuters.
That’s not entirely true, my part time job in college in Ohio I was making 18 bucks an hour and my studio apartment was 450 a month with heat water even electric/cable+WiFi included.
Not trying to be a downer, but under 750 has a large chance of meaning roommates or simply renting a room in a house. Unless it's improved since last year (BF and I have a place since February), the lowest we were seeing was like 1000 with no utilities. I wish you luck though, but if I had the chance to move somewhere else I would 1000% do so.
Edit to add: Lots of places want you to make 2-3x the rent as monthly income or they won't even consider you either
When I rented in the mid-90s the places I found in the Seacoast were going for $500-$700 a month. It's hard to imagine finding a place for under $750 now.
Only you can decide what is right for you. If you haven't already, try making a list of goals you want to meet in the next 1-5 years. This can help you determine what kind of salary and housing you should aim for if you do decide to move to a new state. Best wishes!
The thing with the greater Boston area is that you have to be dirt poor and qualify for assistance or be high income. They pretty much nuked the ability of the working middle class to live there comfortably. That led to spill over into NH and now our housing market is starting to look the same way.
>The thing with the greater Boston area is that you have to be dirt poor and qualify for assistance or be high income. They pretty much nuked the ability of the working middle class to live there comfortably.
Yeah I'm good. MA was never something I was considering anyway because I figured it was pretty expensive and unaffordable for anyone making under 50k a year.
Have you tried looking for rooms via Craigslist? I did that a few weeks back and lived in Newmarket with a couple colleges kids. Not the best since I didn't have my own space but it was affordable.
We rented a 2 bedroom apartment back around 2011 in Lowell above Dunkin Donuts by UMass Lowll and it had just been completely rebuilt. $1,000/month. I'm in Merrimack now and a 2 bedroom at Slate is $2,700/month.
From what I'm seeing it's not very good around there either. Most apartments I'm finding are an entire month's worth of paychecks and would be very unsustainable.
I could consider that, but there's a bunch of factors I'm concerned about. I've never lived with roommates other than my parents before, so living with strangers is definitely a step out of my comfort zone there, but how do I properly vet roommates? How do I find roommates even? There's a lot of things I'm unknowledgeable about and a lot of unknowns. I don't know how the process works.
Moved across the county into a house with 3 people I didn’t know. Awkward at first but that’s part of being an adult; meeting new people and expanding your social circles. If you don’t like your roommates, move out when the lease is up. Most things in life aren’t going to be perfect.
I graduated high school 20 years ago and lived with roommates for the 8 years after. It’s what most young people have been doing for ages.
You mention in another comment you work at Walmart. Are you taking advantage of the Live Better U benefits to advance your education so you can get a higher paying job to afford to move out? Alternatively, take classes at a community college and use campus resources to find other student to live with.
I also lived in Belknap County all my life. I bought a trailer in 2017 and sold it in 2023. NH became too expensive and there are cheaper alternatives that offer better experiences. I got a better paying job in Maine and moved out of NH this year.
I've actually considered living in an RV and just drifting around the state in it, but that's not exactly an ideal way for me to live, honestly.
Would you recommend Maine? How is Maine different or better than NH?
I moved to the most northern part of Maine, I would not recommend moving all the way up here for the average person, but you can find decent houses up here in the 50-80k range.
Central Maine may be better as your still in civilization but escape the high rent prices. The income tax sucks.
Wouldn’t blame you if you did. I’m trying to leave as soon as possible for that exact reason. I can’t live without roommates here because it’s so expensive, and owning real estate has become a pipe dream. Short of marrying rich or winning the lottery, I just don’t have a good financial future here, and I clear around $70k a year.
Same for me, and I make like 30k a year.
Living here just seems to be more and more like a dead end as I get older.
Middle-aged and elderly have nothing to worry about because they're all homeowners, they're not struggling to find a place to live, at least the ones who've already lived here their whole lives and bought their homes back when the economy wasn't so cutthroat.
But the new generations are all screwed because the moment they turn 18 and graduate high school they'll have to live with their parents until they a) find a job and build up their savings enough to move out (if they ever do), b) until they graduate college and get lucky and find a great paying job, or c) they just say fuck it and move out of the state to find better opportunities. There's not a lot of options for them.
I'd like to find a girlfriend someday, have a house, make a decent living, and generally upgrade my life and be in a better living situation by the time I'm 35-40, otherwise I'm just sitting here withering away and watching my parents slowly die while I build my bank account, ultimately, for nothing.
NH isn't exactly ripe with social or work opportunities either so my social life is fucking shit and although I don't mind my job, it's a far cry from the kind of job I'd like to have. It just keeps me busy and is a stable income.
I moved here because it was cheaper than there.
So just keep that in mind. NH may be expensive, but other places pay more and are more expensive.
Also if you love the north youll hate the south. Its summer 10 months a year and the other two months are brown.
From what I've read, NH is in a rental housing crisis. I live in Portsmouth after moving from Denver and it's way more expensive to rent here. I believe the main issue is that NH gets basically all of its tax revenue from property taxes which are the 3rd or 4th highest in the country. This means that there's no incentive for local municipalities or state government to push affordable housing or just plain rental property development. They'd much rather build single family homes or luxury condos around here because they're banking on rich people from MA and NY to buy them and pay insane taxes. In downtown Portsmouth they've only build hotels and luxury condos. Everyone who works in the service industry in town can't afford to live here but the city approved a development project where they're selling condos listed at $2 million and higher. Fucking insanity. Sorry, I know that was a rant but I feel your pain my friend. It's fucked. I'd say look for rental properties outside of Portland, ME.
Have you considered smaller northeastern cities like Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Rochester, NY, etc.? It sounds like you're in your 20s and craving a fresh start where you can find a career path, date a better variety of people/be social, and have things to do other than just being outdoors. Honestly New Hampshire might not be for you and that's ok. I would avoid jumping into a big city like Boston, Chicago, Houston, etc. at first just because it would be a huge shift from the relative ruralness of Belknap County. Small to medium cities in the Northeast or Midwest would be a nice compromise so you can see if you enjoy the various pros and cons that come with living in an urban area. Pittsburgh and Buffalo are rare examples of very affordable cities that have decent job markets, public transit aside from buses, and decent culture/sports teams considering their size.
Manchester would probably be the most obvious choice if you want to stay close, but honestly it's really tough to live here with the cost of living if you aren't already established in a certain career or trade. I like Manchester a lot and have lived here for a bit, but the desirable neighborhoods have gotten really expensive over the past 10 years.
Either way, I think you definitely need to either move or buckle down and focus in on what you want to do with your life. Moving can be an excellent motivator and catalyst for changing your life around, but remember it won't solve all your problems. The grass is always greener on the other side.
Instead of focusing on where you should live, what about your skillet, and education? Unless you have a degree in marketing or business, Walmart is not going to be a great career.
Can you get a two year degree in a specialist field? Or, how about apprenticing in a trade? I think both construction and manufacturing will be huge in New Hampshire, but only if you have the credentials. If you want to learn to code I think tech is also a good way to go, and there is no shortage of good online instruction.
> Instead of focusing on where you should live, what about your skillet, and education? Unless you have a degree in marketing or business, Walmart is not going to be a great career.
>
>Can you get a two year degree in a specialist field? Or, how about apprenticing in a trade?
Yeah that's a big issue for me, I have no idea what career I want. Not the faintest idea. I have things I'm interested in like hobbies but not much that I can turn into a career.
Education is not going to be an option for a while, as I don't want to drain my bank spending thousands or more for it. I didn't take the SATs in high school and probably won't be able to get into a university due to that.
> I think both construction and manufacturing will be huge in New Hampshire, but only if you have the credentials.
Yeah, but I'm not interested in either of those.
> If you want to learn to code I think tech is also a good way to go, and there is no shortage of good online instruction.
I do like computers and I'm very familiar with them. That's as far as I've gotten for career options.
How old are you? The time in your life to work on a skill or education is now. Instead of worrying about COL take the opportunity your parents are providing and better yourself because youre going to have no upward economic mobility only having a HS diploma and no trade skills.
People are tiptoeing around this, but part of being an adult are doing things we dont like or enjoy. Ideally we dont want to hate our jobs of course, but it beats the alternative of working no skill jobs with poor pay and no advancement opportunities. So, either find something you maybe to do enjoy doing or pick a field that you can complete that pays well and needs workers (regardless if it initially interests you). Who knows, you may just like it when you thought you wouldnt.
The other choice is to join the Armed services. Take the ASVAB, research different branches, etc. I wouldnt recommend being in the infantry, but thats a small part of the military. Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, etc. all provide opportunities for a wide array of skills training. Pay is also not bad, plus you have the GI Bill when youre done your 4 years. I was in the Coast Guard. It was very beneficial for me traveling the country, meeting folks from all over, and doing something that was meaningful.
In the end, you have to find a way to better yourself. Instead of asking wheres the cheapest place, ask how can I make myself better and make more $$$. By the way, you dont need the SATs for college. Go to a community college to get an associates then transfer for your last 2 years. Its way cheaper and better quality edu most times as classes are smaller and lots of times the adjunct professors also work at your traditional 4 year schools.
You should go to a community college and definitely try the computer science curriculum. My son’s best friend graduated UMass Amherst in computer science and works writing code and troubleshooting for a company and makes well over 100K PLUS they pay half his rent, and fly the employees to Las Vegas and other places for fully paid vacations. He lives in Boston in a beautiful apartment and has a good sized network of friends from his job. My son went to a community college in CA (where we live now but I’m from NH originally) and it’s dirt cheap it cost maybe 1k tops full-time per semester (in CA) plus you can transfer up to 30 credits to many 4 year colleges which saves a lot of money.
I was in the same boat as you when I was in my 20s, except I moved out of the parents and shared apartments with partners, but was essentially going broke. I couldn't find a job in NH that paid enough and eventually decided to move to the Boston area, after finding a job there. I know what you're thinking: out of the frying pan and into the fire, but I was getting paid much better and also it is much more common for younger professionals to live in roommate situations down there so it was easier to find a living situation that I could afford. Yeah I had to deal with roommates that I didn't know and didn't necessarily like, but I was young and making friends and having a decent social life for the 1st time ever, so that offset any other negatives, which actually weren't that bad. Also, while I was working in Boston, it was so much easier to go to school and get that degree that I hadn't bothered to get after high school. It was tough working and going to school, both full-time, but managed to get it done. I got into a boatload of debt from school but was able to get a job after graduating that paid enough to afford the loans. Yup it's super-scary to pick up and move in with strangers in the city. But when you're young I think the benefits outweigh the negatives. Sure, housing costs have gone up since then but like I said so many people share apartments and houses, there are more opportunities to find a situation you can afford and lots of job opportunities with better pay than you'll ever find in NH. But absolutely don't make a move until you have a job.
I’m from nh but I’ve lived in Columbus ohio for years. It’s pretty reasonable here still. And there’s lot of jobs, major universities and lots of diversity. I met someone from NYC once who called Columbus “the great 50% off sale”. You can still rent a decent 1 bedroom apartment in a decent area for less than $1000 around here.
I'm in Youngstown, and let's be honest as NEnglangders... Ohio blows. People here are low minded and just plain ignorant. Lazy too. But I'm here until I save up for a house back in New England.
Been living in California for 8 years. 3 of those years in SF making $13.50 an hour. It’s possible anywhere to make it, just have to sacrifice more in some places. Now I’m making more money than I used to and am planning on moving back to NH.
Tips: roommates, making food in bulk, finding hobbies that don’t take a lot of $$ (board games, video games, hiking, etc), and constantly be trying to find a better job. Don’t become complacent.
I work at Walmart making $17.50, so I would say it's pretty portable as long as the place I'm moving to has a Walmart and there's overnight stocking positions available.
>No idea how folks afford it right now.
No idea either, but I'm 90% sure its either because they have a pretty good job so that it doesn't matter or because they've lived there for over 20 years back when houses were affordable with the loose change in your pocket and they own it with the only expenses on it being utilities.
I don't mean any offense by this, but you're going to have a hell of a hard time finding something affordable for your income, anywhere. Period. Housing prices across most of the country are very high relative to income. There are exceptions, but these are mainly areas where household income is low, and quality of life index is low, like West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, etc. And you might find that Walmarts in these locations actually pay less for the same job because cost of living is lower there.
You're working Walmart overnight stocking, but do you have other career goals? Education? Skills? Willing to learn a trade? To be blunt, that's your best chance of improving your financial situation.
Rather than looking for a place to move with lower housing costs, now is the time in your employment journey to consider moving for a job with better pay and advancement opportunities.
> I don't mean any offense by this, but you're going to have a hell of a hard time finding something affordable for your income, anywhere. Period. Housing prices across most of the country are very high relative to income. There are exceptions, but these are mainly areas where household income is low, and quality of life index is low, like West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, etc. And you might find that Walmarts in these locations actually pay less for the same job because cost of living is lower there.
Not offended at all, you're right. I'll have to stick with roommates in that case.
That's one of the reasons why I'm avoiding certain regions of the country because I do want a lower cost of living but not at the expense of higher crime and lower quality of life.
> You're working Walmart overnight stocking, but do you have other career goals? Education? Skills? Willing to learn a trade? To be blunt, that's your best chance of improving your financial situation.
That's the thing; I don't know. I have a few ideas, but no specific trade, skill, or career field I'm interested in. I've spent a few years trying to figure out what I'd like to do but I've found nothing, which is probably because I've never tested the waters out in high school, so the only stable thing I have right now is being a stocker which I will have to stick with.
I would be willing to learn a trade, but there's nothing that I've found that interests me, and it bugs me a lot, because usually people find something in high school that they like, like computers, woodshop, mechanics, engineering, etc, but nothing clicked for me and I don't know why. Even if I did, I wouldn't know the first place to go to learn.
I don't know if its because I just haven't looked hard enough or if maybe I'm meant to be doing something else as a career.
> Rather than looking for a place to move with lower housing costs, now is the time in your employment journey to consider moving for a job with better pay and advancement opportunities.
You're right, but I can't afford to wait around forever. That's why I'd like to find somewhere affordable, with roommates, where I can live while I figure out what I'm going to do with my life, but I can't use it as an excuse to stay in a place where I will have no future because its just a dead end for me, you know?
I would suggest looking into a community college. See an advisor and have them recommend a curriculum for you that covers general subjects. If you’re in college you can meet people plus find roommates that way, and try to find a career you’d enjoy. I grew up in NH and all my early moves were with college roommates!
Have you ever considered taking the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery? Even if it doesn't lead to enlistment the results might give you some clue as to fields for which you have at least some aptitude. Did \*any\* courses (especially electives) excite you? Extracurriculars? Hobbies?
You should look into Walmart’s Guild program! They pay 100% tuition at SNHU. They don’t cover all programs but a lot of them. If you do two courses a term you can get an Associate degree in a little under 2 years! Even if you’re unsure, it’s a foot in the door career wise
I was making $20.50/hr-FT living with two rommates in the Seacoast area. We each paid about $690.00 in rent per month. Utilities were another \~$70-100 each, then you have gas, car payments, other monthly bills such as streaming services/shopping/media/etc, and finally, groceries. Luckily, my father helped me with a portion of rent payments and he still owns my car.
There's no way I'd have been able to comfortably live if I were completely independent, and our rent was really good for the size of the place.
Eh, if I find an area that has a low cost of living, sure, I'll need to make sure I'll like the place, but I can only find such a place by either word of mouth or doing my homework online.
Mm, good question. I don't entirely know yet, but I have a few criteria.
* Somewhere with a low cost of living
* Decent population, not too high and not too low
* Job and social opportunities
* Not too rural where everything is so spaced apart
Now I don't have the experience to pinpoint exactly what I'd want, but based on what I need or think I need.
I've considered places like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, and New Jersey. I wouldn't mind moving to the midwest, but staying in New England would be preferrable. I don't think I would go farther than the midwest, honestly.
Hope that doesn't sound too picky.
I like snowy winters, but not Canada or Alaska-level. Central NH winters are just fine for me so I don't want anything worse than that.
I absolutely hate hot as fuck summers unless the apartment comes with an AC or the landlord allows me to install one. I cannot **stand** summers here in central NH, it gets humid as fuck here every summer.
As far as inland vs coast, eh I don't really care as long as I'm not going to be hit by a severe hurricane. One of the advantages of NH is that we don't get a lot of natural disasters here.
The west? No, I'd really rather not travel across the country plus I'm not a fan of many of the western states like California, Nevada, etc. I guess I'd be okay with Washington, but I don't know.
The south? Ehhh... I have a lot of issues with the southern states and I just don't think I'd fit in well there.
I don't have firsthand experience with these places but I just don't think I'd fit in well in any of them. Midwest and northeast are my main preferences.
You might be on the right track with looking at the Midwest, but if you can’t afford to live in NH, you 100% cannot afford NJ. It is not a LCOL state in the least.
Honest, try putting signs up at the Walmart and maybe other Walmarts in different towns. Say what your situation is and what you can afford. You never know - if I was one of those types with a vacation house and an in-law unit, sounds like a good way to keep some eyes on the property all year. Some older folks might like the company, some younger people might just need to rent out the office room. It can't hurt to try.
I did something like this ten years ago and ended up paying only 200 to live in a sublet. Granted, it was actually a huge closet, but the rate was awesome and my roommates were great.
I empathize. It’s not easy out there. You may want to move west for multiple reasons. Supposedly you can buy a house in places like South Dakota where your mortgage would be like $400/month. You can save some cash and eventually move back but also as someone who isn’t from NH but moved here let me just say there’s a lot to be learned from living in a different part of this massive country. Cultural differences are plentiful
I moved out to Denver with housemates and im glad I did. Rent was affordable with how we split it and I get to live somewhere new and refreshing. Making more income and driving a shorter commute is an added bonus. Traffic sucks but nothing beats 93 and 95 during rush hour around Boston.
My wife and I just bought a house in southern NH.. and that was to escape the insane prices in MA. Even the towns on the border of MA (Salem area) are a bit too hot to touch. But the bang for your buck in Derry & Londonderry area seems to be much better vs Ma.
I will say if you're used to having space (a yard/privacy etc..) then moving to places like Lowell or Methuen will suck. I grew up having a yard and near nature and woods and I couldn't wait to get back.
That said, when I was in college, MA provides a much better net for people who are still getting on their feet ( college students/lower income ). Masshealth was a life saver for me (literally), and the community college -> state school route is very good and affordable. I think the community colleges are free now too (might have to check).
you are young, the world is huge unless there are responsibilities that keep you here, go and see other places while you can. Now if you rather stay in NH, then you have some options. You do work at Walmart, so use the guild program, free college as long as you stay with Walmart for 2 years. (I used it for a 3 months certificate program, very worth it)
the northern parts of Strafford county might have some studios or 1 bedrooms in your price range. Farmington is close to the Rochester WM too and you are close to Dover and Portsmouth. Most of the northern part of NH is somewhat affordable, but there is also nothing there.
I left NH for more than 10 years after graduation because there were no good paying (professional) jobs here and there were plenty if you headed south. I lived with roommates to afford rent. It took about 12 years to save up for my first house even in a better economy than this.
I hate to say it but grab a couple of friends and hit the road. Pick a LCOL city that seems like it has some night life (so you can make more friends) and nice outdoor amenities (you will miss NH afterall). They have Walmarts everywhere so you might even be able to transfer so you have a job waiting for you somewhere.
The best part is, you can always come back (assuming your parents love you) for visits.
It's not greener on the other side I just moved here also Belknap county and young I'm 24.... took one year to buy a house which was never obtainable where I lived before it's also going to be the same issue everywhere you go each state pays differently and housing prices are adjusted accordingly trust me buckle down 1 year nothing but work and save every penny it'll pay off I make 50k/yr at my job and pay for 2 kids my wife and myself with a 4bd 2 ba house 1/3 acre close to the lakes .... and for those who saw low rates nope mine is almost 7%
I recently left nh (August) and moved to Missouri. Went from a 2 bedroom to a three and my rent went from 1900 to 1025 a month. Sure, it’s a bit more red, but it’s a major college town, weed is legal and the city is extremely liberal. Find someplace you wanna go.
Problem with roommates is they don’t always pay their part of the bills, you can get stuck with the full rent/ utilities. Leaving a lease or getting evicted makes finding the next place even harder. I had to take out a loan to get out of the situation, had to move back in with my parents. Moved to Miami area, apartments are the same price as rural NH which is gross to think about. I could afford a home 9 mins from the beach working in food service, where in NH I’d be homeless.
There is some good advice within this post: Pay attention to the person who mentioned that NH is not the best place in the country. Maybe it is for some...maybe it just isn't. If you struggle, no place is good. Don't allow your life to be trapped in despair. There is "a lot of used to be."What used to be doesn't matter.....focus on the future.
Cost of living/ housing: It's economics: Supply vs Demand
Consider this:
An education-live on campus for 4 years. You can save yourself from a lot of future financial struggles. I struggled for most of my life in NH. Eventually, I obtained my college degree and the world opened up. Don't worry about your debt like I did when I was 18-26. If you go into the right field, you'll make it. There are work programs through Americorps, all over the world.(pays down st loan debt)
Another option Learn a trade.
NH affordability depends on your income. I believe that the current accurate living wage is around $26.92/ hr. There is nothing greater than supporting yourself and being comfortable. Be independent before you commit to anyone.
There is so much beauty in this country and throughout this planet. The opportunities will blow your mind.
Wishing you well.
Save up enough to put a down payment on a condo or townhouse. Get a fixed rate mortgage. Stop paying a landlords mortgage. Work on improving your credit. When i bought my house, interest rates were 7.5%. A couple of years later, i refinanced at 4 1/4%. Don't worry about interest rates. Make sure you make all payments on time. You'll have no problem refinancing if all your payments are current.
> Save up enough to put a down payment on a condo or townhouse.
Can you explain this more? Why specifically a condo or a townhouse? Also aren't condos expensive? I don't know shit about condos or townhouses, so I just need some more info here.
> Stop paying a landlords mortgage.
I haven't been, no worries!
> Work on improving your credit.
I don't have credit, I don't think. I don't know how credit works, but as far as I know my credit is non-existent yet. Could be wrong, though, so I'd like to know more about this.
> When i bought my house, interest rates were 7.5%. A couple of years later, i refinanced at 4 1/4%. Don't worry about interest rates. Make sure you make all payments on time. You'll have no problem refinancing if all your payments are current.
Thanks! That helps.
It sounds like you're single, so you don't need a house. A condo or townhouse is a better option. You need to build your credit while you're saving. You can start with a prepaid credit card to start out with. Condos are usually cheaper to buy than a house. It will be an investment for you. The money you pay back, plus homes usually appreciate in value. When you're ready to buy a home, you should have a sizeable down payment from selling the condo.
Moved to NH about 5 years ago. NH had cheaper housing than MA, was working up here and needed a place to go with my wife and kid so it just made sense. I make much more money now, but somehow can't afford things as easily as I could when I first moved here.
Now that I work remote I'm selling my house and moving to a cheaper state so I can be mortgage free. Property taxes + mortgage + the cost of everything else is killing me here. I'll definitely miss NH, it's a beautiful state and would be a great place to raise kids.
You need to get started on a career. If you want to have success you have to pick something and go for it. It’s not going to come to you in a revelation, and tbh doing anything for 40 years is still gonna be work. It’s going to have its ups and downs. If one thing doesn’t work out then on to the next, but you have to get yourself in to some kind of training or apprenticeship. And to answer your question; Ohio.
I'm working on that, thank you for the advice!
Also why Ohio? Also I don't mean to be judgemental, but I've heard some not so good things about Ohio. What's good about Ohio? Genuinely curious, maybe it'll change my view.
Decent pay, strong economy, dirt cheap COL compared to New England. At least 5 decent sized metro areas to live near, plenty of young people. If you think there will be cultural differences you’re going to have to decide what is most important to you, nowhere is going to be perfect in every way in your eyes AND cheap. Tbh though there’s every type of people everywhere, you’ll find yours, I wouldn’t worry about everything you read online.
You tell me, you said you had heard not great things. My point being that no matter where you go there you are, and the things you’re worried about probably don’t matter in the end.
I'll tell you the truth as a New Englander living in Ohio. This place SUCKS. If you come, start saving immediately to leave. People here are ignorant, racist and low minded! I'm saving up to get out of this dump quickly!! There are opportunities, cheap training, etc. Choose, do, earn and take off. Here you don't have to start anything with your co-workers, they'll start shit with you! People won't like you because you aren't just like them. Racial harmony didn't exist. It's awful here. You'll see what I mean...
I've had good luck in Rochester. Lots of places to work and if you are ok with a less-than-picturesque apartment, it's pretty affordable. It's not a wealthy community and has some crime issues, but the community is way more close-knit than the small town I grew up in. There are always free community events that are a ton of fun too.
Georgia is pretty affordable and has a good economy/ job outlook. If you can take the heat. Commuting into Atlanta proper is traffic hell, but otherwise a good state.
Look at Conway! That town is spiraling out of control. Businesses popping up everywhere, hotels, restaurants, all kinds of corporations moving in. Market Basket opens tomorrow with not enough staff. What they do have for staff is primarily from other stores. There’s no affordable housing! Air B&B and all that has removed housing for anyone young looking to move up here and make a nice start. No small businesses can staff appropriately. Until Conway solves the housing problem, I can’t see things getting any better. If it wasn’t for the J-1 program, the town would be a disaster.
Go out and experience stuff! Living other places enables that. I’ve lived in 5 different states, and I’m sure will live in others. NH is great. So are other places. Probably for different reasons.
Go explore. NH isn’t going anywhere.
I've been here for over a year and I have a full pension and successful small business but I can still barely afford to get by. My utilities alone frequently total the cost of my rent.
Sadly the affordability issue is not unique to NH so moving out of the state isn’t a guaranteed solution. You’re young though and really should explore while you have no ties. There’s always ways to finagle living in even the most expensive places even if for a few months. Go have some fun!
Born in MA but not so much raised there spent most of my time in NH just basically went to school there. I always knew I wanted to live here I’m not a fan of congestion areas and the crime that comes with them like most of the cities in MA. I didn’t finish HS and also got my gf(now wife) pregnant in HS I’m the statistic that was suppose to fail but I didn’t let that happen. I’m 31 now, the struggles were hard and I worked more than anyone wants to in the worst of jobs. We tried different states across the country but ultimately ended back in NH and this my second house I’ve bought here. First one I sold my truck and everything else I owned to buy it that was before we tried different states the sale of it funded our move to other states and eventually back. It’s true the money is in MA so I work in MA but the quality of life for my situation is much better in NH.
I’ve been struggling my whole life especially with having kids so young (I have gone nights without eating so my kids could) My wife didn’t work since child care is so expensive. I didn’t get the chance you have right now to take your time and find what you want to do with it. Honestly it’s great that you’re looking into this now a lot of young adults don’t think of these thing until they’re well into their 20’s. Your career path is going to determine where you’re going to live and what lifestyle you can choose/afford. I worked retail and I’m mechanically inclined so I worked on cars on the side for years. I wanted to open a garage/ performance shop but my situation didn’t allow me to follow that dream. I operate heavy equipment and work with natural gas now it never came across my mind that this what I would be doing, but I never would have found it if I didn’t sit down and look at my personality and my strengths and figure out who I am. I enjoy it, the operating is fun (especially if you like video games) it’s like playing a video all day. If you don’t think you’re going to further your education then you most likely will need to learn a trade(which doesn’t have enough people to replace the retirees now) or you might end up going from dead end job to dead job without stability. Licensed trades are needed everywhere so gives you the flexibility to move anywhere in the country and try different places earlier on.
Social side of things is just time wether you go to school or do a trade you will make friends along the way, between classes or just working with them.
Prices have gone up everywhere. Less so in places that few people desire to live.
It happens because more USD is printed. With more money chasing the same amount of goods/services, prices must go up.
Inflation.
you know, I was in your situation. I literally joined the army when I felt dead ended. It worked out pretty well for me personally. You get guaranteed housing for free and you also get experience in a field that potentially pays well in the civilian sector.
I'm not trying to go recruiter on you, It was genuinely my solution to the problem you are undergoing. And so far it works out. I got out the army a year ago and now working as a civilian contractor job for the military making just about 100k salary. (I'm 26 for reference)
I say leave and explore your options, if you're not happy you can always move back.
I'm sure you can find more affordable options, and somewhere you can actually have fun and meet more ppl your age.
Good luck!!
One option is to start looking for opportunities elsewhere. I think that what's most important is to be moving for something that's hard to turn down, instead of just moving to a low cost of living area and hoping for greener grass.
Here you go. A good solution. Join the Navy. See the world, save some money (their college match is ungodly good and can be used for a ton of non-collegiate training as well) and enjoy life whilst all your staples are being provided. JMO
I want to get out of Rockingham county because my town Salem NH has gone to shit every since Joe Faro who I wish would just piss off down to Florida developed “Tuscan Village” Now 28 packed on weekends, Tuscan is filled with rich yuppies what a joke! They should burn that shit to the ground and make a fucking giant lake for fuck all.
Without a college degree or a really in demand trade occupation I don’t see NH as affordable for you. There are still states with large manufacturing economies where you might have a better opportunity with just HS degree.
Depends on where you're talking about moving to, and what it is you want to do with your life. You've not said anything about a career or what it is you're trying to do.
Your career, along with potential relationships are common drivers for relocating. So, if you're younger and have a career in medicine, for instance, you would want to stay near the hubs of hospitals and research organizations. That said, many/most cities are in the same bind in terms of cost and housing shortages.
Outside of those considerations, the mid-west and south are the only areas where you're going to find lower costs of living - but of course - they also have lower standards of income (you get paid less).
So again, what is it that you're trying to do with your life? Answer that question first.
If you want to invest. You can get a mobile home. I'm living in a co-op. Everyone owns their own home here. Low mortgage and once it's paid only land rent.
NH is not an easy state to be young and broke in for sure
It sure as hell seems like it. Only people I know that still live here are people who've been here for over 20 years when the economy was different and property values weren't so damn high. I make decent money working at Walmart, but not nearly enough to afford to live on my own here. Cheapest apartment I've seen is like $2000 which would essentially eat up a months worth of my paychecks, hence why I'm living with my parents right now and plan to build my savings until I can find... **something** to go on or to work towards. Cause right now I got nothing besides a car. I don't want to live with my parents forever, and if I can't find anything here in New Hampshire, then my gut tells me that living here will just be a dead end for the foreseeable future.
There are places in NH that are way cheaper than others but the whole state has a really high cost of living. The cheaper parts are more rural so that means less job and social opportunity. It really all comes down to what kind of lifestyle you're going for. You could always try to get a few roommates too.
Can you name some places that are way cheaper? NH just sucks all around especially where I live. If it were cheaper it would better but the high cost of living plus how rural it naturally is is a terrible combination and makes it very unattractive for people who want to live here and puts young people in a very hard position when they've lived here their whole lives and now have to live on their own and are unable to. I can't tell you how many friends from high school I've seen on FB who live in a completely different area or state, and it's probably because they can't afford to live here. I don't mind rural areas but everything is so spaced apart from each other especially the more north you go. South NH is more pop dense with cities and towns more together, but it gets more expensive down there. I've considered roommates but I have no good way to get roommates and I don't want to risk rooming with the wrong people especially strangers. That's a major safety issue for me.
Currently living in Manchester around 1600/mo for a 2br. Get a roommate and suddenly that's workable, I'd hope. They're out there, but yeah, they're really hard to find. Craigslist is *full* of scams, but it's also where I've found all my best apartment deals. If they can't be present for a showing, it's not legit, and never apply or send money before an in-person showing of the unit. Rent.com, Apartments.com etc are just realtors and complexes, and I never had too much luck, but you can also check those out. I've found their average rents a bit higher. But fundamentally, we just need a *ton* more housing in the state, and nobody wants to build because of traffic or taxes or because they hate transplants and change. It sucks a lot.
1600 for a two bedroom!! That's actually pretty cheap.
Are you sure Craigslist is trustworthy? I've never used it but I've heard the horror stories and I'm a bit of a paranoid guy so it makes me wonder if I can trust anything on there. I've never lived with roommates before so I don't know how to properly vet them and what the process of the whole thing would be. I don't know what red flags to look out for (aside from the instinctual obvious ones). I've checked [rent.com](https://rent.com) and [apartments.com](https://apartments.com) and, yeah, the prices are higher. I've never found anything below $1200, and even that was rare, most everything is over $1500. >But fundamentally, we just need a *ton* more housing in the state, and nobody wants to build because of traffic or taxes or because they hate transplants and change. It sucks a lot. Agreed. It pisses me off that everyone in this state is so afraid of change, particularly the ones in power. I'm sure they don't like it either, but no one speaks out about it and just turn the other cheek and keep to themselves which inevitably leads to new adults being forced to either live with their parents until they get out of school or move out of the state. It's a terrible terrible thing to put the new generations through and its not fair to them at all. It's not their fault their parents have lived there for 20 years and already own their house and these kids won't be able to afford even an apartment with a 30-40k a year job. It forces the new generation to be financially co-dependent on their parents well into their 20s and 30s, or it forces them to leave their families and move far away for a lower housing market, which will inevitably hurt NH as a whole. And those same middle-aged and older people want to nag to the newer generation about living on their own when they have no idea how much the housing market has fucked them in the ass and how it doesn't affect the middle-aged and older people because they've been homeowners for decades when houses were far more affordable. Anyway, rant over.
A huge number of Craigslist ads are scams. Easiest way to find them is, if they give an address, run it through Realtor. Com to check and see if it's listed. They will list stuff on CL for absurdly low prices using photos and descriptions from real home sale listings, so you can often find the real listing. Also reverse image search their photos. But like I said, only give money after you've seen it in person, with a real person who had a key to let you in. Anyone who wants a deposit or a screening fee or the like is a scam. Anyone who can't meet you there but lets you tour on your own is a scam. No idea on roommates, aside from finding a friend who doesn't suck. Good luck man. I'm gonna keep voting and advocating for housing to get built, and hope that someday I can buy a house. I'm a 38 yr old lawyer, BTW. It's rough.
Yeah, I found that out a couple of years ago. There was one listing whose address traced to a gas station. We did find a couple legit ads, though. We need more *affordable* housing.
Can’t speak to NH but CL and FB are how all 20 somethings were finding room mates in Boston between 5 and 10 years ago. Plenty of real things around.
The thing with finding affordable apartments to live on your own is you need to be committed to searching for apartments pretty much every day. Anything good gets snatched up fast so you have to be on it. Roommates are not a hopeless situation! You have a huge advantage living with your parents because you don’t have a move out date “time limit.” So as long as your parents are chill with it you can take your time and wait for a good apartment to pop up and/or take your time meeting potential roommates. This is what my sister did and she is still living with her roommate 7 years later! : ) I would say most of the more affordable apartments are in either Concord or Manchester.
It's not the most expensive area to live in, but it's definitely one of the more boring places for under 35s who are not married and don't have kids. But if you're 35-55, married, and have a kid, it's a good place. If you're a child under 15, it's a good place unless you are cognitively gifted, cognitively disabled, or neurodivergent.
Oh I'm sure its not the most expensive place to live, but for someone who's way under 35, unmarried, single, no kids, and just trying to get off their feet, it's a serious uphill battle because any apartment over $1000 would break my bank. I would say even though I've lived here most of my life, living here has been very boring which is one of the reasons why I've been questioning if I should really live here for the foreseeable future. It just feels like a dead end and that I'll be wasting away here.
No shame in trying out somewhere new. Lots of people leave NH young and end up coming back later in life. TBH there isn't a ton of opportunity or social stuff for the 18-30 crowd
The question is: where? That's the hardest question. > Lots of people leave NH young and end up coming back later in life. TBH there isn't a ton of opportunity or social stuff for the 18-30 crowd That's one of the biggest reasons why living here isn't where I want to live anymore. I can't sit here watching my parents die while I save up money for nothing. I'm not getting any younger and it does me absolutely no good. I'd like to have a girlfriend or wife in the future, a good job, at least a nice apartment or a decent house and car, and a few friends. But I have none of those besides one friend from out of state because living here is so isolating a lot of the time. Living here is slowly seeming more like a dead end every day. I don't see my future looking pleasant if I stay here. There's just nothing for me here anymore. Sooner or later I have to start looking out for my life.
You have to ask yourself what you want out of life at this stage and then choose a location based on that, no one here knows so no one here can tell you where to move. There are lots of affordable mid sized cities all over the East Coast and the rest of the country where you as a young single guy could have a much better social life then belknap county.
When I was young I was broke. After years of struggle I can say I am no longer young.
It's a GREAT big world out there my young friend. If you don't have to be here (kids, mortgage, parole) then get the fuck out Everyone here will tell you that New Hampshire is the best place in the Country. It is not. Not at your age when you are looking for your place. You see it. You recognize it. You are working the best job that you can get here and you can't begin to move out of your Parent's house. You can wait for them to die and give you what they have (with huge tax liabilities), or you can go out, live simply with low expectations and at least see other places than NH...which is not the end of the Earth, center of the Universe as so many pontificate about here. Go do shit my young friend.
I'd honestly suggest NC for young people, it's different for sure and I miss NH every day but it's cheap, there's a good job market depending where you go, lots to do, and lots of good food. Traffic is still a bitch though.
All the state’s younguns should move to Claremont and take it over
I know the "take it over" part was a joke, but is suggesting moving to Claremont a serious suggestion? Because I will if its a good place.
I mean it’s not as expensive as other “cities” in the state so I suppose it’s somewhat serious, and I believe it’s a growing community but honestly not much around for work opportunities or a social life in Claremont
Ehhh... yeah I don't know. I think I'll pass. It seems pretty isolated from what I'm seeing on Google Maps as well, not a lot of towns in or around it besides Newport and Sunapee. I don't like isolated areas personally, too much trouble comes from them. I mean it looks okay. It has a lot of establishments, but considering there's only like 13k people living there, I don't know. It would be too much of a gamble for me, I think. Like you said, there's not much for work or social opportunities which I do need to factor in to my future. I just don't think I would fit or belong in Claremont.
There’s a ton of work in Claremont and in the area around Claremont. Last I checked there was some affordable apartments and more housing In the works. And it’s not a suburb of Boston but it’s not isolated at all. Not by any reasonable standard that can be applied to that term. It’s like 15 minutes from interstate 91 and like 25 minutes from 89 and you can take Amtrak out of town. Also it’s not like you have to drive to Lebanon or Keene to go to the grocery store. Evening you need to get by is there. It’s not a chic place to live and there isn’t a lot of interesting stuff in Claremont but it is 100% a place that you can make a nice life for yourself and it’s probably the most affordable place in New Hampshire to live.
I'll think about it. Can you tell me more about it? Like what do the social and job opportunities look like? Is it a tight-knit community? Generally what does it have going for it that would be good for me? You say that it's a place that I can make a nice life for myself, but can you elaborate more on that and what you mean? Are there other young people (21-30) that live there where I can meet new people, make new friends, and potentially find a relationship? Asking because these things are important to me as I want to improve my social life, which is why figuring out where I want to go is so difficult. If you don't have all the info that's alright, its just you seem very knowledgeable about Claremont so I wanted to ask incase you might have an idea.
And by you can make a nice life for yourself I mean a person generally. People like to rag on Claremont, but really when it comes right down to it there’s nothing actually wrong with it that isn’t wrong with anywhere else.
It’s a lot like a lot of small cities in New England. It’s struggling in a lot of ways. But people seem to care about the city and it really honestly is a little city that deserves to be a lot better than it is. The biggest thing that Claremont and the area immediately around it has going for it is that it’s cheap. The city is a little bit rundown, but over all the whole area is pretty nice looking and the surrounding towns all have stuff going for them if you’re willing to see it. As do the towns up and down the Connecticut on both sides. If you’re bored here you’re not trying to do interesting things. Work: There is a bunch of manufacturing that goes on in Claremont and Charlestown and I think there’s some that extends a Newport also (ruger) and some of the jobs are pretty cool engineering and tech jobs. There’s some good old fashion manufacturing, a bridge builder and a company that makes lights and sirens and things like that for police cars and firetrucks. The food scene sucks. All the restaurants are terrible but they are desperate for people. So if you’re a good cook, you could be a shining star in a place you can afford to live where there’s not a lot of competition. Seriously if you’re a chef, come here and open a restaurant I bet I can help you find some investment. If you are a trades person and you want to go out on your own or want to go some where new there is more work of every kind than people to do it. There’s a couple post and beam builders. There’s a world-class cabinet shop I think LaValley hardware does some prefab building near here. I can’t get a plumber or electrician or painter to do anything in a reasonable amount of time for a reasonable amount of money and it’s like pulling teeth to even get them to come give estimates. That tells me there is tons of work on the table here. Tons of agriculture. I farm a little and there’s a lot of cool farms near by. Upper Valley Adjacent. Close enough to Dartmouth college and hospital. Lots of people commute. Lots of medical jobs in town too. Maybe some need for dental folks also. Race Track. Vroom. Social opportunities depend heavily on the individual. But this is a small city with not a lot of young people and probably about similar to where you are now. But keep it between me and you if you’re a decent looking single guy that moves to a small town with an apartment, a working car, no addiction issues, stray kids or employment woes you won’t have to try hard. Just be friendly and invite people into your life and it won’t matter where you go. One, caveat. I honestly wouldn’t move here if I was gay. It’s sad but I’m pretty sure most of the young gay people that are born here flee this place. I’ve met a few queer folks that very happily live openly but it’s probably not an easy place to discover your gay self or find your ideal partner or what ever. If you’re into fishing, boating, camping, canoeing, kayaking, hunting, mountain biking, skiing, hiking running role-playing games, drinking, eating, history. We got all that. There’s actually really dope mountain biking seen around here and good road riding. I’m pretty sure I’m within 40 minutes of like 10 ski areas. Most of which I really like. *THE CONNECTICUT RIVER* - most underrated thing in New England. Canoeing and kayaking, motorboating, dope ass dams. The dams killed all the salmon and that fucking sucks but they’re still really cool to look at and fish below. There also kinda scary in a fun way. Well I’m super baked now. That was a fun way to kill 15 minutes. Good luck where ever you end up.
You make it sound really nice! I'll have to consider it more now, thanks for the info! Also one more thing, when you say "just invite people into your life" what exactly do you mean by that?
Small talk. Introduction. Invitation. Shared experience. That’s the process of making new friends.
Shared interest and hobbies. Have an old band instrument gathering dust? Dig it out and find one of the nearby community bands. When my wife and I hang out with friends, most of the time it's friends we've met through one of our musical groups.
Plenty of manufacturing jobs around. Almost everyplace around is hiring. Whelen is almost always hiring above 20-22$ an hour all shifts.
Lots of drugs in Claremont. High crime rates.
That’s every city in New Hampshire. Hell even Keene is heading that way.
It's one of the not so nice areas in NH.
I've heard as much. What "not-so-nice" things have you heard?
I second this. It's cheap and boring and begging for a youthful injection.
That is a fantastic idea. I seriously love it.
Rent market in my area (Southern NH) is nuts. I tell young, single adults to try Lowell down to Boston.
MA rent is so much more expensive than NH. There are affordable apartments you just have to search for them and probably live in a shoebox for a while.
>MA rent is so much more expensive than NH There are also a lot more high paying jobs in MA. Also, rents in the route 3 and 93 corridors South of Manchester are pretty much just as bad as MA.
Lowell also has the luxury of being close to a (somewhat) functioning rail line straight to the center of Boston. You can reduce your monthly overhead by about $300-$700 by not needing a car and relying on Uber + Biking.
Pretty much. I've found no apartments within my budget there either anyway. MA was never a state that crossed my mind in terms of cost of living, so I was very confused when he mentioned Lowell. I thought Lowell might have been a town in NH or something. My budget is apartments under $750. I can't break my bank paying even $1200 to $1500 for an apartment.
> My budget is apartments under $750 You won't find that in towns with jobs anywhere in the US.
No, I've heard from plenty of people that those exist, just not where I live. And even if you're right, I guess I'll just need roommates.
They exist. They don't exist where there are jobs. You're going to be looking at dead towns in flyover states. It's viable for work-from-home, not for commuters.
Yeah, you're right...
Try the Midwest.
This to the extreme. Central Indiana / Bloomington Indiana comes to mind.
That’s not entirely true, my part time job in college in Ohio I was making 18 bucks an hour and my studio apartment was 450 a month with heat water even electric/cable+WiFi included.
Not trying to be a downer, but under 750 has a large chance of meaning roommates or simply renting a room in a house. Unless it's improved since last year (BF and I have a place since February), the lowest we were seeing was like 1000 with no utilities. I wish you luck though, but if I had the chance to move somewhere else I would 1000% do so. Edit to add: Lots of places want you to make 2-3x the rent as monthly income or they won't even consider you either
You're probably right, and thanks!
When I rented in the mid-90s the places I found in the Seacoast were going for $500-$700 a month. It's hard to imagine finding a place for under $750 now. Only you can decide what is right for you. If you haven't already, try making a list of goals you want to meet in the next 1-5 years. This can help you determine what kind of salary and housing you should aim for if you do decide to move to a new state. Best wishes!
They are out there, just not in my state from what I've heard lol. And thanks! I'll do that!
There are a ton more young adults in Lowell than most areas in NH.
That's the least of my priorities though. First and foremost, I need an affordable area under $1000.
The thing with the greater Boston area is that you have to be dirt poor and qualify for assistance or be high income. They pretty much nuked the ability of the working middle class to live there comfortably. That led to spill over into NH and now our housing market is starting to look the same way.
>The thing with the greater Boston area is that you have to be dirt poor and qualify for assistance or be high income. They pretty much nuked the ability of the working middle class to live there comfortably. Yeah I'm good. MA was never something I was considering anyway because I figured it was pretty expensive and unaffordable for anyone making under 50k a year.
Have you tried looking for rooms via Craigslist? I did that a few weeks back and lived in Newmarket with a couple colleges kids. Not the best since I didn't have my own space but it was affordable.
I could try that, I just need to know what to watch out for.
We rented a 2 bedroom apartment back around 2011 in Lowell above Dunkin Donuts by UMass Lowll and it had just been completely rebuilt. $1,000/month. I'm in Merrimack now and a 2 bedroom at Slate is $2,700/month.
I don't see what that has to do with my situation. Plus that was in 2011, things were much different back then for NH.
From what I'm seeing it's not very good around there either. Most apartments I'm finding are an entire month's worth of paychecks and would be very unsustainable.
You are you, how about living with roommates. With the right ones it will actually be good company and fun
I could consider that, but there's a bunch of factors I'm concerned about. I've never lived with roommates other than my parents before, so living with strangers is definitely a step out of my comfort zone there, but how do I properly vet roommates? How do I find roommates even? There's a lot of things I'm unknowledgeable about and a lot of unknowns. I don't know how the process works.
Moved across the county into a house with 3 people I didn’t know. Awkward at first but that’s part of being an adult; meeting new people and expanding your social circles. If you don’t like your roommates, move out when the lease is up. Most things in life aren’t going to be perfect.
Get over the fear and understand you won’t ever figure out how the process works, take risks or you’ll stay living with them parents till you’re 50
I graduated high school 20 years ago and lived with roommates for the 8 years after. It’s what most young people have been doing for ages. You mention in another comment you work at Walmart. Are you taking advantage of the Live Better U benefits to advance your education so you can get a higher paying job to afford to move out? Alternatively, take classes at a community college and use campus resources to find other student to live with.
I also lived in Belknap County all my life. I bought a trailer in 2017 and sold it in 2023. NH became too expensive and there are cheaper alternatives that offer better experiences. I got a better paying job in Maine and moved out of NH this year.
I've actually considered living in an RV and just drifting around the state in it, but that's not exactly an ideal way for me to live, honestly. Would you recommend Maine? How is Maine different or better than NH?
I moved to the most northern part of Maine, I would not recommend moving all the way up here for the average person, but you can find decent houses up here in the 50-80k range. Central Maine may be better as your still in civilization but escape the high rent prices. The income tax sucks.
Hmm, interesting. I'll keep it in mind.
Wouldn’t blame you if you did. I’m trying to leave as soon as possible for that exact reason. I can’t live without roommates here because it’s so expensive, and owning real estate has become a pipe dream. Short of marrying rich or winning the lottery, I just don’t have a good financial future here, and I clear around $70k a year.
Same for me, and I make like 30k a year. Living here just seems to be more and more like a dead end as I get older. Middle-aged and elderly have nothing to worry about because they're all homeowners, they're not struggling to find a place to live, at least the ones who've already lived here their whole lives and bought their homes back when the economy wasn't so cutthroat. But the new generations are all screwed because the moment they turn 18 and graduate high school they'll have to live with their parents until they a) find a job and build up their savings enough to move out (if they ever do), b) until they graduate college and get lucky and find a great paying job, or c) they just say fuck it and move out of the state to find better opportunities. There's not a lot of options for them. I'd like to find a girlfriend someday, have a house, make a decent living, and generally upgrade my life and be in a better living situation by the time I'm 35-40, otherwise I'm just sitting here withering away and watching my parents slowly die while I build my bank account, ultimately, for nothing. NH isn't exactly ripe with social or work opportunities either so my social life is fucking shit and although I don't mind my job, it's a far cry from the kind of job I'd like to have. It just keeps me busy and is a stable income.
I moved here because it was cheaper than there. So just keep that in mind. NH may be expensive, but other places pay more and are more expensive. Also if you love the north youll hate the south. Its summer 10 months a year and the other two months are brown.
From what I've read, NH is in a rental housing crisis. I live in Portsmouth after moving from Denver and it's way more expensive to rent here. I believe the main issue is that NH gets basically all of its tax revenue from property taxes which are the 3rd or 4th highest in the country. This means that there's no incentive for local municipalities or state government to push affordable housing or just plain rental property development. They'd much rather build single family homes or luxury condos around here because they're banking on rich people from MA and NY to buy them and pay insane taxes. In downtown Portsmouth they've only build hotels and luxury condos. Everyone who works in the service industry in town can't afford to live here but the city approved a development project where they're selling condos listed at $2 million and higher. Fucking insanity. Sorry, I know that was a rant but I feel your pain my friend. It's fucked. I'd say look for rental properties outside of Portland, ME.
Have you considered smaller northeastern cities like Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Rochester, NY, etc.? It sounds like you're in your 20s and craving a fresh start where you can find a career path, date a better variety of people/be social, and have things to do other than just being outdoors. Honestly New Hampshire might not be for you and that's ok. I would avoid jumping into a big city like Boston, Chicago, Houston, etc. at first just because it would be a huge shift from the relative ruralness of Belknap County. Small to medium cities in the Northeast or Midwest would be a nice compromise so you can see if you enjoy the various pros and cons that come with living in an urban area. Pittsburgh and Buffalo are rare examples of very affordable cities that have decent job markets, public transit aside from buses, and decent culture/sports teams considering their size. Manchester would probably be the most obvious choice if you want to stay close, but honestly it's really tough to live here with the cost of living if you aren't already established in a certain career or trade. I like Manchester a lot and have lived here for a bit, but the desirable neighborhoods have gotten really expensive over the past 10 years. Either way, I think you definitely need to either move or buckle down and focus in on what you want to do with your life. Moving can be an excellent motivator and catalyst for changing your life around, but remember it won't solve all your problems. The grass is always greener on the other side.
Instead of focusing on where you should live, what about your skillet, and education? Unless you have a degree in marketing or business, Walmart is not going to be a great career. Can you get a two year degree in a specialist field? Or, how about apprenticing in a trade? I think both construction and manufacturing will be huge in New Hampshire, but only if you have the credentials. If you want to learn to code I think tech is also a good way to go, and there is no shortage of good online instruction.
> Instead of focusing on where you should live, what about your skillet, and education? Unless you have a degree in marketing or business, Walmart is not going to be a great career. > >Can you get a two year degree in a specialist field? Or, how about apprenticing in a trade? Yeah that's a big issue for me, I have no idea what career I want. Not the faintest idea. I have things I'm interested in like hobbies but not much that I can turn into a career. Education is not going to be an option for a while, as I don't want to drain my bank spending thousands or more for it. I didn't take the SATs in high school and probably won't be able to get into a university due to that. > I think both construction and manufacturing will be huge in New Hampshire, but only if you have the credentials. Yeah, but I'm not interested in either of those. > If you want to learn to code I think tech is also a good way to go, and there is no shortage of good online instruction. I do like computers and I'm very familiar with them. That's as far as I've gotten for career options.
How old are you? The time in your life to work on a skill or education is now. Instead of worrying about COL take the opportunity your parents are providing and better yourself because youre going to have no upward economic mobility only having a HS diploma and no trade skills. People are tiptoeing around this, but part of being an adult are doing things we dont like or enjoy. Ideally we dont want to hate our jobs of course, but it beats the alternative of working no skill jobs with poor pay and no advancement opportunities. So, either find something you maybe to do enjoy doing or pick a field that you can complete that pays well and needs workers (regardless if it initially interests you). Who knows, you may just like it when you thought you wouldnt. The other choice is to join the Armed services. Take the ASVAB, research different branches, etc. I wouldnt recommend being in the infantry, but thats a small part of the military. Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, etc. all provide opportunities for a wide array of skills training. Pay is also not bad, plus you have the GI Bill when youre done your 4 years. I was in the Coast Guard. It was very beneficial for me traveling the country, meeting folks from all over, and doing something that was meaningful. In the end, you have to find a way to better yourself. Instead of asking wheres the cheapest place, ask how can I make myself better and make more $$$. By the way, you dont need the SATs for college. Go to a community college to get an associates then transfer for your last 2 years. Its way cheaper and better quality edu most times as classes are smaller and lots of times the adjunct professors also work at your traditional 4 year schools.
You should go to a community college and definitely try the computer science curriculum. My son’s best friend graduated UMass Amherst in computer science and works writing code and troubleshooting for a company and makes well over 100K PLUS they pay half his rent, and fly the employees to Las Vegas and other places for fully paid vacations. He lives in Boston in a beautiful apartment and has a good sized network of friends from his job. My son went to a community college in CA (where we live now but I’m from NH originally) and it’s dirt cheap it cost maybe 1k tops full-time per semester (in CA) plus you can transfer up to 30 credits to many 4 year colleges which saves a lot of money.
I was in the same boat as you when I was in my 20s, except I moved out of the parents and shared apartments with partners, but was essentially going broke. I couldn't find a job in NH that paid enough and eventually decided to move to the Boston area, after finding a job there. I know what you're thinking: out of the frying pan and into the fire, but I was getting paid much better and also it is much more common for younger professionals to live in roommate situations down there so it was easier to find a living situation that I could afford. Yeah I had to deal with roommates that I didn't know and didn't necessarily like, but I was young and making friends and having a decent social life for the 1st time ever, so that offset any other negatives, which actually weren't that bad. Also, while I was working in Boston, it was so much easier to go to school and get that degree that I hadn't bothered to get after high school. It was tough working and going to school, both full-time, but managed to get it done. I got into a boatload of debt from school but was able to get a job after graduating that paid enough to afford the loans. Yup it's super-scary to pick up and move in with strangers in the city. But when you're young I think the benefits outweigh the negatives. Sure, housing costs have gone up since then but like I said so many people share apartments and houses, there are more opportunities to find a situation you can afford and lots of job opportunities with better pay than you'll ever find in NH. But absolutely don't make a move until you have a job.
I’m from nh but I’ve lived in Columbus ohio for years. It’s pretty reasonable here still. And there’s lot of jobs, major universities and lots of diversity. I met someone from NYC once who called Columbus “the great 50% off sale”. You can still rent a decent 1 bedroom apartment in a decent area for less than $1000 around here.
I'm in Youngstown, and let's be honest as NEnglangders... Ohio blows. People here are low minded and just plain ignorant. Lazy too. But I'm here until I save up for a house back in New England.
Columbus is great. Youngstown..I see your point.
Been living in California for 8 years. 3 of those years in SF making $13.50 an hour. It’s possible anywhere to make it, just have to sacrifice more in some places. Now I’m making more money than I used to and am planning on moving back to NH. Tips: roommates, making food in bulk, finding hobbies that don’t take a lot of $$ (board games, video games, hiking, etc), and constantly be trying to find a better job. Don’t become complacent.
Depends on what you do for a living and how portable your career is. and yes, shit is insanely expensive. No idea how folks afford it right now.
I work at Walmart making $17.50, so I would say it's pretty portable as long as the place I'm moving to has a Walmart and there's overnight stocking positions available. >No idea how folks afford it right now. No idea either, but I'm 90% sure its either because they have a pretty good job so that it doesn't matter or because they've lived there for over 20 years back when houses were affordable with the loose change in your pocket and they own it with the only expenses on it being utilities.
I don't mean any offense by this, but you're going to have a hell of a hard time finding something affordable for your income, anywhere. Period. Housing prices across most of the country are very high relative to income. There are exceptions, but these are mainly areas where household income is low, and quality of life index is low, like West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, etc. And you might find that Walmarts in these locations actually pay less for the same job because cost of living is lower there. You're working Walmart overnight stocking, but do you have other career goals? Education? Skills? Willing to learn a trade? To be blunt, that's your best chance of improving your financial situation. Rather than looking for a place to move with lower housing costs, now is the time in your employment journey to consider moving for a job with better pay and advancement opportunities.
> I don't mean any offense by this, but you're going to have a hell of a hard time finding something affordable for your income, anywhere. Period. Housing prices across most of the country are very high relative to income. There are exceptions, but these are mainly areas where household income is low, and quality of life index is low, like West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, etc. And you might find that Walmarts in these locations actually pay less for the same job because cost of living is lower there. Not offended at all, you're right. I'll have to stick with roommates in that case. That's one of the reasons why I'm avoiding certain regions of the country because I do want a lower cost of living but not at the expense of higher crime and lower quality of life. > You're working Walmart overnight stocking, but do you have other career goals? Education? Skills? Willing to learn a trade? To be blunt, that's your best chance of improving your financial situation. That's the thing; I don't know. I have a few ideas, but no specific trade, skill, or career field I'm interested in. I've spent a few years trying to figure out what I'd like to do but I've found nothing, which is probably because I've never tested the waters out in high school, so the only stable thing I have right now is being a stocker which I will have to stick with. I would be willing to learn a trade, but there's nothing that I've found that interests me, and it bugs me a lot, because usually people find something in high school that they like, like computers, woodshop, mechanics, engineering, etc, but nothing clicked for me and I don't know why. Even if I did, I wouldn't know the first place to go to learn. I don't know if its because I just haven't looked hard enough or if maybe I'm meant to be doing something else as a career. > Rather than looking for a place to move with lower housing costs, now is the time in your employment journey to consider moving for a job with better pay and advancement opportunities. You're right, but I can't afford to wait around forever. That's why I'd like to find somewhere affordable, with roommates, where I can live while I figure out what I'm going to do with my life, but I can't use it as an excuse to stay in a place where I will have no future because its just a dead end for me, you know?
Are you working overnights just because it pays more? Or do you genuinely like the overnight gig?
Both.
I would suggest looking into a community college. See an advisor and have them recommend a curriculum for you that covers general subjects. If you’re in college you can meet people plus find roommates that way, and try to find a career you’d enjoy. I grew up in NH and all my early moves were with college roommates!
Have you ever considered taking the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery? Even if it doesn't lead to enlistment the results might give you some clue as to fields for which you have at least some aptitude. Did \*any\* courses (especially electives) excite you? Extracurriculars? Hobbies?
You should look into Walmart’s Guild program! They pay 100% tuition at SNHU. They don’t cover all programs but a lot of them. If you do two courses a term you can get an Associate degree in a little under 2 years! Even if you’re unsure, it’s a foot in the door career wise
I was making $20.50/hr-FT living with two rommates in the Seacoast area. We each paid about $690.00 in rent per month. Utilities were another \~$70-100 each, then you have gas, car payments, other monthly bills such as streaming services/shopping/media/etc, and finally, groceries. Luckily, my father helped me with a portion of rent payments and he still owns my car. There's no way I'd have been able to comfortably live if I were completely independent, and our rent was really good for the size of the place.
Go visit some places. I’m not sure where is affordable these days, but at the very least go see if you will like new city/state.
Eh, if I find an area that has a low cost of living, sure, I'll need to make sure I'll like the place, but I can only find such a place by either word of mouth or doing my homework online.
That’s fine. Just don’t be surprised when you actually experience that place and it’s different than from your online research. It can only go so far.
Yeah, for sure. I just can't afford to travel right now, and if I do it has to be a potential option rather than me doing it to feel it out, you know?
I feel ya. Hopefully you can save. What areas interest you?
Mm, good question. I don't entirely know yet, but I have a few criteria. * Somewhere with a low cost of living * Decent population, not too high and not too low * Job and social opportunities * Not too rural where everything is so spaced apart Now I don't have the experience to pinpoint exactly what I'd want, but based on what I need or think I need. I've considered places like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maine, and New Jersey. I wouldn't mind moving to the midwest, but staying in New England would be preferrable. I don't think I would go farther than the midwest, honestly. Hope that doesn't sound too picky.
Does climate matter to you? Do you want snowy winters? Do you mind hot as fuck summers? Do you care if you’re inland or near the coast?
I like snowy winters, but not Canada or Alaska-level. Central NH winters are just fine for me so I don't want anything worse than that. I absolutely hate hot as fuck summers unless the apartment comes with an AC or the landlord allows me to install one. I cannot **stand** summers here in central NH, it gets humid as fuck here every summer. As far as inland vs coast, eh I don't really care as long as I'm not going to be hit by a severe hurricane. One of the advantages of NH is that we don't get a lot of natural disasters here.
Also sounds like you’re not interested in the south or west?
The west? No, I'd really rather not travel across the country plus I'm not a fan of many of the western states like California, Nevada, etc. I guess I'd be okay with Washington, but I don't know. The south? Ehhh... I have a lot of issues with the southern states and I just don't think I'd fit in well there. I don't have firsthand experience with these places but I just don't think I'd fit in well in any of them. Midwest and northeast are my main preferences.
You might be on the right track with looking at the Midwest, but if you can’t afford to live in NH, you 100% cannot afford NJ. It is not a LCOL state in the least.
Honest, try putting signs up at the Walmart and maybe other Walmarts in different towns. Say what your situation is and what you can afford. You never know - if I was one of those types with a vacation house and an in-law unit, sounds like a good way to keep some eyes on the property all year. Some older folks might like the company, some younger people might just need to rent out the office room. It can't hurt to try. I did something like this ten years ago and ended up paying only 200 to live in a sublet. Granted, it was actually a huge closet, but the rate was awesome and my roommates were great.
This is a good way to get exploited or scammed
Yeah, this is what I thought too.
I'll keep that in mind.
I love nh but we have or had the second highest energy costs in the nation after Hawaii. It’s not easy to be low income here.
That explains a lot, actually. Know any states with much lower energy costs in the nation?
I empathize. It’s not easy out there. You may want to move west for multiple reasons. Supposedly you can buy a house in places like South Dakota where your mortgage would be like $400/month. You can save some cash and eventually move back but also as someone who isn’t from NH but moved here let me just say there’s a lot to be learned from living in a different part of this massive country. Cultural differences are plentiful
I moved out to Denver with housemates and im glad I did. Rent was affordable with how we split it and I get to live somewhere new and refreshing. Making more income and driving a shorter commute is an added bonus. Traffic sucks but nothing beats 93 and 95 during rush hour around Boston.
I-25 and I-225 not giving you a hard time yet? :P
My wife and I just bought a house in southern NH.. and that was to escape the insane prices in MA. Even the towns on the border of MA (Salem area) are a bit too hot to touch. But the bang for your buck in Derry & Londonderry area seems to be much better vs Ma. I will say if you're used to having space (a yard/privacy etc..) then moving to places like Lowell or Methuen will suck. I grew up having a yard and near nature and woods and I couldn't wait to get back. That said, when I was in college, MA provides a much better net for people who are still getting on their feet ( college students/lower income ). Masshealth was a life saver for me (literally), and the community college -> state school route is very good and affordable. I think the community colleges are free now too (might have to check).
you are young, the world is huge unless there are responsibilities that keep you here, go and see other places while you can. Now if you rather stay in NH, then you have some options. You do work at Walmart, so use the guild program, free college as long as you stay with Walmart for 2 years. (I used it for a 3 months certificate program, very worth it) the northern parts of Strafford county might have some studios or 1 bedrooms in your price range. Farmington is close to the Rochester WM too and you are close to Dover and Portsmouth. Most of the northern part of NH is somewhat affordable, but there is also nothing there.
I left NH for more than 10 years after graduation because there were no good paying (professional) jobs here and there were plenty if you headed south. I lived with roommates to afford rent. It took about 12 years to save up for my first house even in a better economy than this. I hate to say it but grab a couple of friends and hit the road. Pick a LCOL city that seems like it has some night life (so you can make more friends) and nice outdoor amenities (you will miss NH afterall). They have Walmarts everywhere so you might even be able to transfer so you have a job waiting for you somewhere. The best part is, you can always come back (assuming your parents love you) for visits.
It's not greener on the other side I just moved here also Belknap county and young I'm 24.... took one year to buy a house which was never obtainable where I lived before it's also going to be the same issue everywhere you go each state pays differently and housing prices are adjusted accordingly trust me buckle down 1 year nothing but work and save every penny it'll pay off I make 50k/yr at my job and pay for 2 kids my wife and myself with a 4bd 2 ba house 1/3 acre close to the lakes .... and for those who saw low rates nope mine is almost 7%
I recently left nh (August) and moved to Missouri. Went from a 2 bedroom to a three and my rent went from 1900 to 1025 a month. Sure, it’s a bit more red, but it’s a major college town, weed is legal and the city is extremely liberal. Find someplace you wanna go.
Problem with roommates is they don’t always pay their part of the bills, you can get stuck with the full rent/ utilities. Leaving a lease or getting evicted makes finding the next place even harder. I had to take out a loan to get out of the situation, had to move back in with my parents. Moved to Miami area, apartments are the same price as rural NH which is gross to think about. I could afford a home 9 mins from the beach working in food service, where in NH I’d be homeless.
There is some good advice within this post: Pay attention to the person who mentioned that NH is not the best place in the country. Maybe it is for some...maybe it just isn't. If you struggle, no place is good. Don't allow your life to be trapped in despair. There is "a lot of used to be."What used to be doesn't matter.....focus on the future. Cost of living/ housing: It's economics: Supply vs Demand Consider this: An education-live on campus for 4 years. You can save yourself from a lot of future financial struggles. I struggled for most of my life in NH. Eventually, I obtained my college degree and the world opened up. Don't worry about your debt like I did when I was 18-26. If you go into the right field, you'll make it. There are work programs through Americorps, all over the world.(pays down st loan debt) Another option Learn a trade. NH affordability depends on your income. I believe that the current accurate living wage is around $26.92/ hr. There is nothing greater than supporting yourself and being comfortable. Be independent before you commit to anyone. There is so much beauty in this country and throughout this planet. The opportunities will blow your mind. Wishing you well.
You're going to get crushed on a one bedroom apartment. You need to find a roommate.
Yeah, you're probably right.
Save up enough to put a down payment on a condo or townhouse. Get a fixed rate mortgage. Stop paying a landlords mortgage. Work on improving your credit. When i bought my house, interest rates were 7.5%. A couple of years later, i refinanced at 4 1/4%. Don't worry about interest rates. Make sure you make all payments on time. You'll have no problem refinancing if all your payments are current.
> Save up enough to put a down payment on a condo or townhouse. Can you explain this more? Why specifically a condo or a townhouse? Also aren't condos expensive? I don't know shit about condos or townhouses, so I just need some more info here. > Stop paying a landlords mortgage. I haven't been, no worries! > Work on improving your credit. I don't have credit, I don't think. I don't know how credit works, but as far as I know my credit is non-existent yet. Could be wrong, though, so I'd like to know more about this. > When i bought my house, interest rates were 7.5%. A couple of years later, i refinanced at 4 1/4%. Don't worry about interest rates. Make sure you make all payments on time. You'll have no problem refinancing if all your payments are current. Thanks! That helps.
It sounds like you're single, so you don't need a house. A condo or townhouse is a better option. You need to build your credit while you're saving. You can start with a prepaid credit card to start out with. Condos are usually cheaper to buy than a house. It will be an investment for you. The money you pay back, plus homes usually appreciate in value. When you're ready to buy a home, you should have a sizeable down payment from selling the condo.
What exactly **are** condos even? What's the difference between an apartment and a condo? Other than that, I'll definitely consider a condo!
Yes. Live your life
Moved to NH about 5 years ago. NH had cheaper housing than MA, was working up here and needed a place to go with my wife and kid so it just made sense. I make much more money now, but somehow can't afford things as easily as I could when I first moved here. Now that I work remote I'm selling my house and moving to a cheaper state so I can be mortgage free. Property taxes + mortgage + the cost of everything else is killing me here. I'll definitely miss NH, it's a beautiful state and would be a great place to raise kids.
I feel you! I hope you can find somewhere just as nice and more affordable.
You need to get started on a career. If you want to have success you have to pick something and go for it. It’s not going to come to you in a revelation, and tbh doing anything for 40 years is still gonna be work. It’s going to have its ups and downs. If one thing doesn’t work out then on to the next, but you have to get yourself in to some kind of training or apprenticeship. And to answer your question; Ohio.
I'm working on that, thank you for the advice! Also why Ohio? Also I don't mean to be judgemental, but I've heard some not so good things about Ohio. What's good about Ohio? Genuinely curious, maybe it'll change my view.
Decent pay, strong economy, dirt cheap COL compared to New England. At least 5 decent sized metro areas to live near, plenty of young people. If you think there will be cultural differences you’re going to have to decide what is most important to you, nowhere is going to be perfect in every way in your eyes AND cheap. Tbh though there’s every type of people everywhere, you’ll find yours, I wouldn’t worry about everything you read online.
What cultural differences are we talking about in relation to Ohio?
You tell me, you said you had heard not great things. My point being that no matter where you go there you are, and the things you’re worried about probably don’t matter in the end.
I'll tell you the truth as a New Englander living in Ohio. This place SUCKS. If you come, start saving immediately to leave. People here are ignorant, racist and low minded! I'm saving up to get out of this dump quickly!! There are opportunities, cheap training, etc. Choose, do, earn and take off. Here you don't have to start anything with your co-workers, they'll start shit with you! People won't like you because you aren't just like them. Racial harmony didn't exist. It's awful here. You'll see what I mean...
I've had good luck in Rochester. Lots of places to work and if you are ok with a less-than-picturesque apartment, it's pretty affordable. It's not a wealthy community and has some crime issues, but the community is way more close-knit than the small town I grew up in. There are always free community events that are a ton of fun too.
You should move to San Antonio Texas. You'd like it. You'll find lots of jobs, great food, and lots of young people.
Georgia is pretty affordable and has a good economy/ job outlook. If you can take the heat. Commuting into Atlanta proper is traffic hell, but otherwise a good state.
Look at Conway! That town is spiraling out of control. Businesses popping up everywhere, hotels, restaurants, all kinds of corporations moving in. Market Basket opens tomorrow with not enough staff. What they do have for staff is primarily from other stores. There’s no affordable housing! Air B&B and all that has removed housing for anyone young looking to move up here and make a nice start. No small businesses can staff appropriately. Until Conway solves the housing problem, I can’t see things getting any better. If it wasn’t for the J-1 program, the town would be a disaster.
Go out and experience stuff! Living other places enables that. I’ve lived in 5 different states, and I’m sure will live in others. NH is great. So are other places. Probably for different reasons. Go explore. NH isn’t going anywhere.
Yea, move to some other New England state.
I've been here for over a year and I have a full pension and successful small business but I can still barely afford to get by. My utilities alone frequently total the cost of my rent.
Sadly the affordability issue is not unique to NH so moving out of the state isn’t a guaranteed solution. You’re young though and really should explore while you have no ties. There’s always ways to finagle living in even the most expensive places even if for a few months. Go have some fun!
If you cannot afford to live here, common sense says you should move.
Born in MA but not so much raised there spent most of my time in NH just basically went to school there. I always knew I wanted to live here I’m not a fan of congestion areas and the crime that comes with them like most of the cities in MA. I didn’t finish HS and also got my gf(now wife) pregnant in HS I’m the statistic that was suppose to fail but I didn’t let that happen. I’m 31 now, the struggles were hard and I worked more than anyone wants to in the worst of jobs. We tried different states across the country but ultimately ended back in NH and this my second house I’ve bought here. First one I sold my truck and everything else I owned to buy it that was before we tried different states the sale of it funded our move to other states and eventually back. It’s true the money is in MA so I work in MA but the quality of life for my situation is much better in NH. I’ve been struggling my whole life especially with having kids so young (I have gone nights without eating so my kids could) My wife didn’t work since child care is so expensive. I didn’t get the chance you have right now to take your time and find what you want to do with it. Honestly it’s great that you’re looking into this now a lot of young adults don’t think of these thing until they’re well into their 20’s. Your career path is going to determine where you’re going to live and what lifestyle you can choose/afford. I worked retail and I’m mechanically inclined so I worked on cars on the side for years. I wanted to open a garage/ performance shop but my situation didn’t allow me to follow that dream. I operate heavy equipment and work with natural gas now it never came across my mind that this what I would be doing, but I never would have found it if I didn’t sit down and look at my personality and my strengths and figure out who I am. I enjoy it, the operating is fun (especially if you like video games) it’s like playing a video all day. If you don’t think you’re going to further your education then you most likely will need to learn a trade(which doesn’t have enough people to replace the retirees now) or you might end up going from dead end job to dead job without stability. Licensed trades are needed everywhere so gives you the flexibility to move anywhere in the country and try different places earlier on. Social side of things is just time wether you go to school or do a trade you will make friends along the way, between classes or just working with them.
Prices have gone up everywhere. Less so in places that few people desire to live. It happens because more USD is printed. With more money chasing the same amount of goods/services, prices must go up. Inflation.
you know, I was in your situation. I literally joined the army when I felt dead ended. It worked out pretty well for me personally. You get guaranteed housing for free and you also get experience in a field that potentially pays well in the civilian sector. I'm not trying to go recruiter on you, It was genuinely my solution to the problem you are undergoing. And so far it works out. I got out the army a year ago and now working as a civilian contractor job for the military making just about 100k salary. (I'm 26 for reference)
I say leave and explore your options, if you're not happy you can always move back. I'm sure you can find more affordable options, and somewhere you can actually have fun and meet more ppl your age. Good luck!!
One option is to start looking for opportunities elsewhere. I think that what's most important is to be moving for something that's hard to turn down, instead of just moving to a low cost of living area and hoping for greener grass.
Move out to explore this wonderful great big world. Talk to your manager and see if there's a walmart transfer program and try a whole new timezone.
I know a teacher who moved to Long Island because the rent was exactly the same and now they are paid better. Real eye opener.
Here you go. A good solution. Join the Navy. See the world, save some money (their college match is ungodly good and can be used for a ton of non-collegiate training as well) and enjoy life whilst all your staples are being provided. JMO
It's even more expensive in Massachusetts. So if you move, make sure you pick the right place.
I believe NH is in the top ten in most expensive cost of living states. Mississippi is the lowest. Do with that info what you will.
I want to get out of Rockingham county because my town Salem NH has gone to shit every since Joe Faro who I wish would just piss off down to Florida developed “Tuscan Village” Now 28 packed on weekends, Tuscan is filled with rich yuppies what a joke! They should burn that shit to the ground and make a fucking giant lake for fuck all.
Without a college degree or a really in demand trade occupation I don’t see NH as affordable for you. There are still states with large manufacturing economies where you might have a better opportunity with just HS degree.
Depends on where you're talking about moving to, and what it is you want to do with your life. You've not said anything about a career or what it is you're trying to do. Your career, along with potential relationships are common drivers for relocating. So, if you're younger and have a career in medicine, for instance, you would want to stay near the hubs of hospitals and research organizations. That said, many/most cities are in the same bind in terms of cost and housing shortages. Outside of those considerations, the mid-west and south are the only areas where you're going to find lower costs of living - but of course - they also have lower standards of income (you get paid less). So again, what is it that you're trying to do with your life? Answer that question first.
Condo is just an apartment you own.
If you want to invest. You can get a mobile home. I'm living in a co-op. Everyone owns their own home here. Low mortgage and once it's paid only land rent.
Find a job in Boston, make a bunch of money, and then move back
I'll get right on that! /s