Working in Boston; living in New Hampshire
May 28, 2011, 5:20 pm
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 55,189
Working in Boston; living in New Hampshire
Do people who work in Boston commute from NH? Is that a hellish commute? I'm wondering because I don't see from the MBTA website that the MBTA rail goes into NH as it does go into Rhode Island, for example. Maybe there is bus service? I would think Amtrak would be way too expensive.
Is NH a viable option for those working in Boston who don't want to get socked with taxes? Just wondering.
Is NH a viable option for those working in Boston who don't want to get socked with taxes? Just wondering.
May 28, 2011, 6:10 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 276
Yes, with the increase in housing prices of the Boston area, many people sold their property in a typical Boston suburb and moved to what may be called an exurb. This includes people who live in southern NH and commute to Boston or surrounding areas for work.
That being said, the commute is borderline hellish because of all the traffic you will hit. 93, the highway heading north of Boston to NH, will commonly back up outside of 128 (the belt highway around Boston) or 495 (the 2nd belt) and be stop and go into town. I would never do this type of commute just because the 45 minute drive is likely 90 minutes each way every day, nevermind accidents, snowstorms, etc... But the housing prices there are attractive to many people and all that money you save, a lot of people put some of it towards buying a fuel efficient commuter car for the drive.
Couple people I know do this drive for a 7-3 work day, traffic is much better for these periods. For a normal 9-5, this drive is downright sluggish.
That being said, the commute is borderline hellish because of all the traffic you will hit. 93, the highway heading north of Boston to NH, will commonly back up outside of 128 (the belt highway around Boston) or 495 (the 2nd belt) and be stop and go into town. I would never do this type of commute just because the 45 minute drive is likely 90 minutes each way every day, nevermind accidents, snowstorms, etc... But the housing prices there are attractive to many people and all that money you save, a lot of people put some of it towards buying a fuel efficient commuter car for the drive.
Couple people I know do this drive for a 7-3 work day, traffic is much better for these periods. For a normal 9-5, this drive is downright sluggish.
May 29, 2011, 5:14 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: BOS
Posts: 1,461
Keep in mind that the property tax in N.H. is higher than in MA, so if you own a house, that offsets the income tax savings. You may get a cheaper house, but from that I've seen, the price for a house southern NH wouldn't be much different than living in many of the outer suburbs of Boston.
Maybe someone else knows for certain, but I believe MA taxes you if you work here, regardless of the location of the state your house is in(?) My impression is that many people who do the commute to Boston from NH do so for reasons other than just to save money, such as having family in NH, and most of them do seem to have flexible schedules that allow them to telecommute sometimes.
When my husband was looking for a job, there seemed to be more activity in southern NH than in Boston. That was last year though. We love the town we live in in MA, and decided that unless we were desperate, he wouldn't do the opposite scenario of what you're suggesting due to traffic and weather. He has a very long commute into Boston now, but at least he can read, work, etc on the commuter rail.
Maybe someone else knows for certain, but I believe MA taxes you if you work here, regardless of the location of the state your house is in(?) My impression is that many people who do the commute to Boston from NH do so for reasons other than just to save money, such as having family in NH, and most of them do seem to have flexible schedules that allow them to telecommute sometimes.
When my husband was looking for a job, there seemed to be more activity in southern NH than in Boston. That was last year though. We love the town we live in in MA, and decided that unless we were desperate, he wouldn't do the opposite scenario of what you're suggesting due to traffic and weather. He has a very long commute into Boston now, but at least he can read, work, etc on the commuter rail.
Last edited by mareh; May 29, 2011 at 5:35 am
May 29, 2011, 7:30 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: From and of Boston.
Posts: 4,973
If you live in NH and work in Massachusetts, you will pay Mass state income tax (5%, or 5.7%, or something like that). And virtually none of the deductions that you get for Fed income taxes (mortgage interest, prop taxes, etc).
Property tax rates are much higher in NH -- that's where local governments they get most of their revenue -- but property values are lower. So, taxes on similar houses can be comparable.
The commute from NH to the Boston area can range from inconvenient to hellish, depending on where you are going. There is train service from nearby places in Mass (Lowell or Haverhill, for example), but those trains tend to be slow and are useful primarily for people who work in downtown Boston or parts of Cambridge.
It's important to keep in mind that housing prices in the Boston vary enormously. Prices inside of Rt 128 tend to be stunningly higher than those just on the other side of 128. (Plenty of other factors -- reputation of the school system, especially -- figure in the mix, as well.)
Property tax rates are much higher in NH -- that's where local governments they get most of their revenue -- but property values are lower. So, taxes on similar houses can be comparable.
The commute from NH to the Boston area can range from inconvenient to hellish, depending on where you are going. There is train service from nearby places in Mass (Lowell or Haverhill, for example), but those trains tend to be slow and are useful primarily for people who work in downtown Boston or parts of Cambridge.
It's important to keep in mind that housing prices in the Boston vary enormously. Prices inside of Rt 128 tend to be stunningly higher than those just on the other side of 128. (Plenty of other factors -- reputation of the school system, especially -- figure in the mix, as well.)
May 29, 2011, 8:44 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: BOS
Posts: 1,461
It's important to keep in mind that housing prices in the Boston vary enormously. Prices inside of Rt 128 tend to be stunningly higher than those just on the other side of 128. (Plenty of other factors -- reputation of the school system, especially -- figure in the mix, as well.)