Moving from Kansas to New Hampshire (Manchester). Tips/advice?

Submitted by justaduck0 t3_10ih5wg in ManchesterNH

I'm moving from Kansas to New Hampshire in March (assuming I can secure housing by then) for a job in the mental health field. I'm a single, latino male in his early-30s who's also an introvert with no family or friends in that part of the US, so I would basically be starting over.

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice for either things to be aware of for somebody new to Manchester (be it areas to avoid, expectations for cost of living, etc), and activities to take part in?

All suggestions are appreciated, thank you!---------------

EDIT: Wow! I really appreciate everyone's insight, experiences, and recommendations; it's been making things easier for me to understand what to expect as far as general life there and what there is to do and see, as well as the reality there around lack of housing and high cost-of-living. I don't plan to actually move there until mid-March so I'm taking into account everything discussed here as this is a pretty big move for me and I (understandably) feel hella nervous/afraid about it.

Just for context: My salary will be at $50k to start, which I understand is just below the income limit for public assistance for a single person, so I'm aware I may not have much options to choose from, but I'd like to keep my housing budget to $1300 or below for anything ranging from a studio to a 2-bedroom, preferably near the downtown area but will consider anywhere in Manchester or surrounding areas.

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Jonpaddy t1_j5emf50 wrote

People telling you to move to a suburb are wrong. Move as close to your new workplace as possible.

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justaduck0 OP t1_j5epygf wrote

My job's actually in Nashua but I have flexibility to work from home whenever, and my impression is that housing options in both Nashua and Manchester are...not great. I'm leaning towards Manchester simply because the vibes and population sizes are pretty similar to where I currently live (Lawrence, KS).

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plumcrazy09 t1_j5evyum wrote

The rental market is very competitive right now especially in Manchester, it was very hard to find an apartment at an affordable rate but it's not impossible it just might take some time. Salem NH might be somewhere to look too they are building some nice apartments but they can get expensive too. Good luck!

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GodMike t1_j5hrshn wrote

Live near elm street and find a nice go to spot. The pint is pretty popular.

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Coldest-Spinach t1_j5enqc5 wrote

Hey hey, welcome! There are some sketchy areas in Manch like any city but overall New Hampshire is a very safe state to live in, compared to the national average Manchester is safer than most cities. And some of the streets it depends on which part youre on, I used to date a person who was on Laurel and around where they lived on the street was ok but if you drove further up it was a little sketch.

Cost of living is high, I'd imagine higher than Kansas. but personally I found a pretty good deal when I was renting, i'm currently living in Nashua myself and about to move to Manch, I am paying around 1350 a month for rent for a 1bdrm deluxe, and will be paying approximately the same when I move for mortgage&taxes for a 2bdrm condo.

As far as activities to do, depends what you like. I personally love to go out dancing and clubbing, there is a goth night called resurrection I'm planning to attend soon. But usually for the best nightlife I go down to Boston. Which is a great thing too about this area is you're not far from Boston. I also love outdoors so I like to walk trails at massabesic lake or cedar swamp. And sometimes on a nice day I like to go to the airport in Manch and grab a coloring book or something and sit and watch the planes fly by. There are other fun spots and lots of good restaurants like one of those paint bars, boards and brews (bar that you can play tabletop games at), there is the mall of new new Hampshire. theres so much to do! I hope you love it here.

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justaduck0 OP t1_j5er052 wrote

This is a great answer, thank you!

I was told good things about NH and Manchester so I'm excited to relocate. I'm starting to get an inkling of which areas are safer than others (Google Maps is my friend) so I appreciate your experiences.

Cost-of-living there is much higher than here (and what I'm used to), and looking for housing was the first clue I got as to how expensive it is there. I've no plans to buy a house yet and the housing market seems too atrocious to consider that, at the moment. Y'all have a lot of cool shit to do there just based on what I found online, and even better knowing that Boston is close as well, so thank you for the recommendations. I'd appreciate any more tips if you can think of them later on!

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Coldest-Spinach t1_j5erkc4 wrote

The housing market in New england is some of the most expensive out there so I dont blame you!! I lucked out with the condo I snagged.

What kind of tips are you looking for? I can see if I can think of a few others. But depends on what you're interested in :]

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justaduck0 OP t1_j5i5hmx wrote

Thanks! I'm looking for housing with a budget of $1300 or below and I'm aware that it might take some luck to find something that's relatively decent. As far as tips, just anything about the eatery/restaurant and music scenes there. I'm very much an introvert but I'd like to put myself out there as much as I can and get familiar and comfortable with life there (and distract myself from the inevitable homesickness that'll be apparent for the first few weeks/months).

Curious about sightseeing in Boston as well (aquariums, museums, food, and touristy things I guess).

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Coldest-Spinach t1_j5j4yav wrote

1300 or below is gonna be hard. I'd recommend checking out some of the affordable housing programs but just know it can be a while on their waitlists.

I'd recommend giving a follow to Jewel music venue's social media as well as the SNHU arena, there are shows that go on there on occasion. As well as in Nashua there is a new venue being built called the center for the arts. For restaurants it depends on what cuisine you're looking for! theres lots of good spots in Manchester esp downtown, my fave is the indian place called taj india. theres also mi jaliscos which is Mexican. also a middle eastern /Mediterranean spot called Matbah, I havent been there in a while so I hope they're still around. Firefly bistro is also nice for a classier meal. Chez Vachon is a great breakfast spot, best poutine I ever had 👌 Theres many many others but those are my faves that jump to mind.

Oh, Boston has so many museums and things to do. The museum of science is my fave but also museum of fine arts is good too. The aquarium is very fun as well. There are also a TON of historical spots, I highly recommend doing the freedom trail or duck tours at some point, those are probably the most touristy you can get. Cambridge has a few clubs that I'm aware of for nightlife although the ones I go to are goth night so maybe not your thing. Downtown crossing and the boston common are fun areas just to walk around at, same with the wharfs near the aquarium. The restaurants in boston are so endless I couldn't even start. But one of my fave places is called Yvonne's, it's a little mor upscale and a speakeasy styled spot, tapas style. Boston has some shows as well, big and small. Check out venues like the house of blues, the Sinclair, the middle east, and for the massive shows TD garden, sometimes even huge artists will play at Fenway park. and also Boston has a good selection of theatre and orchestra. Honestly boston is my home away from home. love it there

Also. at some point I recommend you take a trip to portsmouth, nh. It's such a lovely city with lots of fun spots too, a lot of local stores and eateries, and right on the ocean.

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MHTMakerspace t1_j5fbkxd wrote

>I'm a single, latino male in his early-30s who's also an introvert with no family or friends in that part of the US, so I would basically be starting over.

Starting over fresh with no contacts is tough in NH, especially as an introvert. There used to be more meetups and interesting events before COVID, but venues vanished and events are only slowly coming back.

To get a better idea of events around town, grab a copy of The Hippo (free weekly) when you visit NH, or you can buy access to the digital edition.

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justaduck0 OP t1_j5hhr9l wrote

I'm currently going through the 'wtf did I just do?' phase after I made the decision to (eventually) pack up and leave everything here behind to experience something new--especially as an introvert.

Thanks for the The Hippo recommendation; I want to come prepared so I'll give it a read before I move.

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6byfour t1_j5jags4 wrote

My best friend was raised in KC and several years into our friendship he commented that he initially thought New Englanders were snobby and standoffish. After visiting his family there I understood- the hospitality was almost overwhelming.

I don’t think of New Englanders as unfriendly - more like respectfully distant. We’ll leave you alone to do your thing but if you need help (like if your car is stuck in the snow) we are happy to jump in.

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ImmediatePatience835 t1_j5ekirb wrote

I would avoid living on any of the “Tree streets”(streets named after a tree. Beech, cider, pine etc) and not to live on the west side if you can avoid it. There are amazing parts of this city but they’re more on the south north and east sides. I read an article recently about how manchester and concord are the busiest housing markets in the country. Manch is like 40-50 min from Boston and concord is only a little farther north. People who work in Boston are moving here and making it expensive because of it. I suggest looking at surrounding towns (not Nashua) for an apartment or house if you can.

There are a million things to do around here. It is a nice city with good people and you can find a bunch of different activities on fb pages to try.

Good luck

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Coldest-Spinach t1_j5elxdn wrote

I actually like the west side! and Nashua!

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ImmediatePatience835 t1_j5emaj2 wrote

There are gorgeous parts of nashua. I guess I’m biased because I work on the border with mass and it’s a shit show near the city.

I stand firm on my west side beliefs lol. I’ve lived there.

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Coldest-Spinach t1_j5eofmp wrote

I live near the border right near tyngsboro and love it here! And my family lived on the west side and I love it there too, I'm actually going to be moving to just south of the west side soon :)

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insiderecess t1_j5hfog7 wrote

Agree avoid the tree streets in manch

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6byfour t1_j5jbzjv wrote

The tree streets can be quite long, and as you move away from the center of the city they get nicer.

Also worth noting that they’re the most dangerous places in a very safe city. People think of Manchester as dangerous because it’s statistically more so than the rest of super-safe NH.

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justaduck0 OP t1_j5epl4l wrote

Awesome stuff! Thank you!

I've been hitting up Craigslist and FB Marketplace every day for housing and I'm starting to (hopefully) get an idea of where I should live and what I can realistically afford (we don't get paid enough in my field sadly), and they seem to parallel what you said.

Strangely enough, I live in Lawrence, KS, where the population size is roughly the same as Manchester, and also here folks commute to nearby Kansas City, Missouri for work which has also driven up housing and overall cost-of-living, so I'm also considering housing just outside the area (Londonderry, Bedford, etc.), so I appreciate that your advice is the same as what I was considering!

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Kv603 t1_j5fan95 wrote

Watch out with those, there's a ton of scammers, especially on CL.

When I needed an apartment and needed to seek remotely, I ended up working with a real estate broker who also handled rentals.

> I'm also considering housing just outside the area (Londonderry, Bedford, etc.)

Bedford has a reputation as an expensive, snooty suburb, however it is possible to find an apartment, and Bedford is an easy drive to Manchester or even Nashua.

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justaduck0 OP t1_j5hu3fe wrote

Thanks for the tip about the real-estate broker. I'll seriously look into that as I'd rather find a place before I move there. How was your experience with that?

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Kv603 t1_j5i4e8u wrote

It worked out great, they took their cut from the owners and arranged a sublet in a nice condominium.

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insiderecess t1_j5hg7r9 wrote

I work in housing in Manchester and the lowest prices for housing is Manchester and Nashua. All other areas are astronomic in cost. People think those are the worst areas, but if you just mind your business and don’t make eye contact with people you’ll be fine.

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justaduck0 OP t1_j5hi8tl wrote

Thanks! I'm a housing Case Manager and I've worked extensively with our local housing authority and it's interesting seeing things from my clients' perspective for the first time regarding high housing costs and difficulty finding something 'reasonable.'

I'm not a fan of attracting attention to myself at all so I think I'll be fine once I find a place.

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8TwelveInc t1_j5emq0x wrote

The housing market here is slim to none. Good luck

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justaduck0 OP t1_j5eoiah wrote

Haha, as someone who currently works as a Housing Case Manager here in KS, it's not surprising that the housing market there seems just as bad as it is here so that's something I'm taking into account when looking.

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lellololes t1_j5f2zmg wrote

As of late 2022, NH had a 0.3% vacancy rate for 2 bedroom apartments, and 0.5% for all units.

https://www.nhhfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/NHHousing-2022-Rental-Cost-Report.pdf

Things are pretty tight up here right now. I don't know what your budget will look like, but the places that have some vacancies tend to be places that price at a premium level and intentionally keep some units open by pushing rents up to higher levels. Less premium locations can be difficult to snap up.

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justaduck0 OP t1_j5hsktv wrote

I'll be making $50k, which I noticed is just below the income limit for public assistance for a single person in Manchester (lol) . I don't have any debts such as student loans or my car so I might be a little flexible but I'm looking to stay at $1300 or below for anything ranging from a studio to a 2-bedroom. Again, I'm just trying to get a feel for what's realistic with my income, cost-of-living, and housing availability.

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lellololes t1_j5htukb wrote

That's going to be difficult. You'll probably be able to get a studio apartment somewhere, but you won't have a lot of choice in the matter. Nashua is going to be too expensive, Manchester is definitely cheaper. If you go north from Manchester it will get cheaper and less convenient. You're likely to be living further away or in a not so nice area of town. You could probably swing a 1br in Concord, but another alternative would be to find a roommate in a nicer place in Nashua.

For what it's worth the commute south to Nashua and then north towards Manchester isnt too bad. There's some northward traffic, and Fridays can be problematic during the summer, but it's not a nightmare by any means.

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Fuzzy-Scar3055 t1_j5f2q11 wrote

How would you compare Wichita KS to Manchester? Biggest city in KS. I may relocate due to family being there but I find the idea of living there really hard to swallow. I have been there a few years ago (they have a cool zoo) but I don’t know if I could get used to how different it is…

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justaduck0 OP t1_j5hkqq0 wrote

I've never lived in Wichita, but I've driven through there, and spent many a weekend there, an infinite amount of times growing up that I feel qualified to give some perspective:

If you're used to cost-of-living in NH, then you'll find KS to be a cheaper breath of fresh air, especially with housing. The local eatery/bar scene is pretty decent, in addition to the nicer up-scale places. I will say that one of the worst parts about Wichita is the lack of decent public transportation (as is the case in most Kansas towns, including my own) and the influence of Big Business on the City Council, but there are plenty of activities and shopping to do here whether you're single or have a family (Sedgwick County Zoo, Towne East Square Mall, etc.) as well as other decent destinations that are within a 3-hour drive (Oklahoma City, OK, "Little Sweden" in Lindsborg, KS, and the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson all come to mind). There are also some decent hiking trails a short drive from Wichita if you're into that.

Also, the weather can almost randomize here frequently but it can generally be windy here, which is something most of us Kansans are used to. The crime rate has also been going up, but nowhere near the levels you would see in Chicago and, I'd imagine, Boston.

Hopefully this helps!

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Fuzzy-Scar3055 t1_j5jy6nt wrote

Thanks for the info. Manchester doesn’t have amazing transportation, idk how it compares. Manchester has a public bus but I’ve never used it. I know Wichita has (or had) allot of electric scooters scattered across the city. Manchester recently got into that but it’s far less. Manchester is not actually a very pleasant city to walk around it.

The cost of living is way cheaper that’s for sure. For what I pay for a shitty apartment in Manchester, I could have a pretty nice apartment overseeing the river in Wichita.

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lellololes t1_j5ugdsg wrote

I realize that this is a bit old, but some perspective on crime rates:

Boston has about half of the violent crime rate of Wichita, and there is no suburban sprawl in the city, either. The property crime rate in Boston is around 40% of Wichita.

Manchester has a violent crime rate that is around 40% of what it is in Wichita. Property crime rates are about half.

Nashua has a violent crime rate that is around 12% of what it is in Wichita, and about 22% of the property crime rate.

NH is a very safe state. Manchester is rougher than NH is as a whole, but compared to the vast majority of small cities, it's not bad at all.

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LorenzoA t1_j5hkske wrote

Rent is really high in New England. Single bedroom is about $1500 if you're lucky. I'm Latino too and there's a Hispanic community in town but not sure if there are any community groups. Restarting is tough, I've done it too, so if you find a hobby, you'll meet lots of people right away. Biggest suggestion is buy winter snow pants, boots, coat, etc. It's cheaper outside of the states that always get snow. For this city, maybe try to find places in North Manchester or in a suburb like Hooksett, Bedford, Derry, etc. because it'll be safer. If you do move into town, I'd suggest a security system. Oh, I'd suggest you avoid T-Mobile because coverage in rural NH is spotty. Verizon too. Both drop calls near seacoast and in mountains. I was happy with at&t and I would still be with them but I got into a family plan with my parents. Ultimately, bring a good camera because it's so beautiful out here, so go see the ocean, see the foliage up in the mountains in the fall, and you'll find colonial historic sites all over. Welcome!

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LorenzoA t1_j5hkzwz wrote

It's Comcast country for Internet by the way, unless you happen to be in one of the few areas that had/is getting FiOS.

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justaduck0 OP t1_j5hs2ha wrote

Thanks! I was also trying to see who the local internet providers are and set up services once I'm there.

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Kv603 t1_j5i434t wrote

Generally, especially in an apartment building, there is minimal competition for broadband. Consolidated offers (slow) DSL most places, and (fast) FiOS in a few select areas, other than that most cities are served by Comcast for Cable+Internet.

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justaduck0 OP t1_j5hruaz wrote

Gracias, amigo! One of the things I look for when moving somewhere new is a presence of a Latino/Hispanic community as it generally helps me feel less isolated, especially in parts of the US where we have a very small presence, if at all. I also want to ask if you'd be interested in meeting up in-person once I'm situated there.

Damn, I have T-Mobile currently but may consider switching as I need to upgrade anyway, though not sure if I want to get a local number or stick to my KS one. Thanks for the heads-up, and I've seen pics of how beautiful New England is during the fall so I'm excited!

Thanks for the welcome! I'm pretty excited to move there and experience all that there is to see and do.

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LorenzoA t1_j5htgvl wrote

Oh by the way, I'm Mexican American and there's not much of us here. The big groups are from El Salvador, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. There's a few Mexican restaurants in town and most are just ok but not great.

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justaduck0 OP t1_j5hucn6 wrote

I'm Mexican-American as well so that's even better.

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6byfour t1_j5jbijt wrote

If connecting with other Latinos is a priority, Manchester and Nashua are probably your best bets. It gets more rural and less diverse very quickly as you move away from the cities.

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Tom_Haley t1_j5mxljl wrote

Avoid Manchester and Lincoln and that area at night

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