Post by twilightmv on Oct 19, 2021 12:52:09 GMT -5
If you are planning to commute to Boston, just fucking don’t. I did until covid and from southern NH, I spent about 4 hours a day driving. Unless you are remote, or can be selective about your hours, don’t do that fucking commute. I’m office optional now, so I go in once a week. I leave my house at 5:30.
If you are planning to commute to Boston, just fucking don’t. I did until covid and from southern NH, I spent about 4 hours a day driving. Unless you are remote, or can be selective about your hours, don’t do that fucking commute. I’m office optional now, so I go in once a week. I leave my house at 5:30.
I can only imagine what hell that commute is, yikes! A remote job would be ideal, but my only concern is what if a company decides to pull back on that and start requiring regular office days. That would suck!
I live in one of the suburbs you mentioned. Feel free to PM me if you want specific information. DH works in software as well and his company is downtown, but he works from home full time now.
Post by lizlemon19 on Oct 19, 2021 13:30:20 GMT -5
Hello. I live in Mass, and travel to NH regularly. It is common in many parts of each state to live in one state and work in another. Just watch commute time. Southern NH wouldn’t be too bad for Boston/North Shore. I loved CO when I visited, but I grew up in a beach town and couldn’t be that far from the ocean. I love hiking, and go all over NE. I also do a lot of beach trips. NH can be great for skiing/snowboarding if you are into that. Yes, we get a lot of snow in the winter and depending on the year it can be long. However, we rarely have devastating wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes (although they have happened) and hurricanes usually slow by the time they get to us. Depending on what kind of tech jobs, there is in the cities and outskirts. We have many colleges and hospitals, and are becoming bigger in the bio tech area. Let me know if you have any specific questions.
If you are planning to commute to Boston, just fucking don’t. I did until covid and from southern NH, I spent about 4 hours a day driving. Unless you are remote, or can be selective about your hours, don’t do that fucking commute. I’m office optional now, so I go in once a week. I leave my house at 5:30.
I can only imagine what hell that commute is, yikes! A remote job would be ideal, but my only concern is what if a company decides to pull back on that and start requiring regular office days. That would suck!
I'm just reading this thread b/c we enjoyed our visit to NH, but I wanted to discuss this. My husband, also in tech, has recently interviewed for several jobs. All are local to us, but also had candidates from other areas (including internationally) with no expectation of being in the office on a regular basis. The companies have existing employees that have never lived here & have always worked remote. In some cases this is extra beneficial because, say, they can have tech support coverage in a different time zone without someone waking up at 3am.
I don't know if your husband's area of expertise is the same as my husband's (and, frankly, I don't completely understand that!) but you could also cast a wider net to jobs that have people from all over working from home & has been before the pandemic.
I certainly don't dislike CO, but I adore New England (I'm a native of upstate NY and have lived in Southern California, and currently the Philadelphia suburbs) and my husband and I plan to move to Maine eventually for the quality of life and scenery. I love woods and water. My H is originally from the Boston suburbs.
The more rural you are in northern New England, the harder it might be to find reliable internet. But if you're in Southern NH you should be fine. Can your H work remotely? That's most of the plan for me and my H, but we've been working remotely for almost a year and a half anyway.
One thing I like is that as the climate warms, New England winters will get more manageable and the summers, which are mild and lovely now, at least won't be as deathly hot as many other places. And it will never run out of water, unlike the west. And honestly, winter in CO starts in, like, October too, and also goes until April, so depending on where you are in the state, the only difference I think is that CO is much drier. You'll get snow either way.
Post by runblondie26 on Oct 19, 2021 14:04:01 GMT -5
We moved from Atlanta to coastal NH a few years ago. We love, love, love it here. I work in Biotech locally and DH commutes to Boston Logan, but typically during off hours (commercial pilot). I’d be happy to chat specifics.
Aquatica , welcome to upstate!! I'm outside Albany. Where are you?
Hi! I'm north of Syracuse, almost by the Canadian border.
So are my parents! I grew up in Buffalo, but my mom's family was originally from northern NY and she inherited a summer lake house from her grandparents. About 15 minutes south of Watertown. My brother and his wife live in Syracuse, where his wife is from, but they're looking at moving up to Jefferson or St Lawrence County depending on my SIL's job - my brother just started working near my parents last year, so the commute is long.
Post by outnumbered on Oct 19, 2021 14:58:25 GMT -5
I grew up in NH. I liked it. We lived about 60 minutes north of Boston and close to the ocean. We were able to spend the summer in the mountains. I loved being so close to those things.
It is probably all relative, but the winters in NH are not that bad unless you on the Canadian border. winter in southern NH is much like MA.
The population is more conservative but NH's reps in Congress and the Senate are dems. The farther south you are the less red the state is, in fact most old timers consider southern NH part of MA. From 2005 to 2017 the governor was a democrat. The gov is a republican right now.
I'm from Atlanta and moved to Denver about 2 years ago. I also lived in Boston at one point.
Denver is my fave because of the weather. It's almost always sunny. When it's 30-something out, it doesn't feel that cold bc of the sunshine. I hated the ATL weather and have neither positive nor negative New England weather mems.
Also, people here complain about traffic but compared to ATL, it's nothing to me.
Where would you be working in Colorado? That will be the key in determining what your commute would be like. What Denver suburbs are you looking at? There are a lot, which makes it hard to determine where you are in comparison to dining, entertainment, etc.
I am from Florida and have lived in Colorado for 6 years. I want to get out of the state soon. The cost of living is just too much for someone living on disability.
ETA: Colorado snow and ice can get really bad here as well but I don't know anything about NH weather.
. I assume he would be working in downtown Denver or near Greenwood Village. We haven’t seen a lot of suburbia yet, but we may be keen on the west side of Denver because of the mountains. But if not there, then maybe Littleton, Centennial or Parker.
Yeah, the cost of living is a definite consideration. I’m so sorry you are dealing with that situation.
If you like your area governed by people who are experts in their area or care about other people, I'd be weary of some of the southern suburbs of Denver - namely, Parker and anything in Douglas County. We are like mini Texas over here with our new Board of "Health" .... Not to force politics on any part of your decision making, but we've been here 10years and its never been as bad as it is now - we're researching other areas to move to.
My H is a software engineer, his office is (was) downtown, but he works 100% from home now. There are tons of opportunities in the metro area should he decide he wants to look for something else.
I'm in Denver, been here for 20 years. I think our weather and so many days of sunshine are amazing. Tons of jobs. Tons of recreation. No humidity, few bugs. We've been very happy here. We have air quality issues, as does much of the west, it hasn't really bothered me a ton. Bad traffic, like any major city. Traffic getting from Denver to the mountains can be horrendous. I do think it's a "bland" city in comparison to others, as someone else mentioned. The #1 con though is housing cost. Everyone has moved here and housing prices are crazy. I actually want to move out of Denver for this reason. I wonder how my kids are going to make it here. I'm still trying to convince my DH. He was born here and doesn't want to leave.
bunnies mentioned an important point on sunshine. I spent a few winters in NH while my friend was in Denver. January in NH stays below freezing and there is a winter cloud haze (though the haze makes for beautiful nights of light bouncing off fresh snow). Denver gets sunny days. I'm not suggesting one is better or worse, or a dealbreaker.
I like to joke that I walked up hill both to and from school, which is correct, because I went up and down a 10' snowbank in a parking lot. NH has fancy trucks that roam at night and suck up snow from the tops of snowbanks, lol! Heating oil can be expensive (like $5-10k a year depending on the cold snaps). You might have to shovel snow off your roof (they have tools for it). In NH you can get a small town feel while being a short drive (or medium drive/train) to multiple coastal metropolises.
Post by Doggy Mommy on Oct 19, 2021 21:51:41 GMT -5
I’ve never been to NH but have lived in Colorado since I was 9. There are pros and cons, but overall I wish we could move. The weather is pretty good. We went on a little hike today in cropped pants and a light sweatshirt, and it’ll be back in the 70s this weekend. I wish we got more rain though. January-April or May can really suck. There are sunny, warmer days yes, but it’s so brown and dry, and I just hate that time of year.
My biggest cons would be lack of water (obv no ocean but also very few lakes, rivers etc), most places within a 2-3 hour drive can have horrendous traffic since there’s basically one main road to the mountains, and cost of living. If you love skiing, camping, pot, and sports you’ll probably love it.
I haven’t posted anything here in a good long while, I lurk, but I just don’t stress over the news as much as I used to. 😊 My H and I are seriously contemplating a big move in the next few years. We are traveling to and researching potential locations. We are currently in Atlanta, but are ready to be in a different climate and in a different part of the country. Right now, we have it narrowed down to Colorado (Denver suburbs) or New England (specifically New Hampshire). We don’t have kids so nothing to factor there. H is a software engineer and needs ample job opportunities. Here’s how things are breaking down as of right now:
Colorado Pro: access to a metro area w/a good tech hub, close to the mountains, cooler weather Colorado Con: housing costs, traffic
New Hampshire Pro: easier pace of living, lower housing costs, cooler weather New Hampshire Con: harsh winters, fewer in-state job opportunities, unlikely to have direct flights to our home states (we are not originally from GA)
In short. it seems like Colorado would be a change of scenery, but we would still have a lifestyle similar to what we are used to in Atlanta (shopping, dining, entertainment, etc.). New Hampshire would be lifestyle change with a less hurried pace, but H might not have as many opportunities for tech jobs.
Can any of you ladies help expand on this list for either of these areas?
TIA!!
I live in NH, on the seacoast. I love it here because it is overall the more liberal area of the state, and NH has been voting in Democrats for president, senate and congress more and more, thankfully. Lots of Trumper types in the smaller, northern towns, though. The winters really are not that bad...last winter we barely had snow at all. Every now and then you get a real nasty winter, but overall they are manageable. My cousin in CO Springs is always posting more harsh weather than we have honestly. But I'm also in the southern part of the state...it is much more rough a few hours north. Flights are no problem...we have a bus to Logan airport in Boston that takes an hour from southern NH. Portsmouth area might be up your alley...lots to do, on the ocean, good area for jobs and not far from other areas with the same. The mountains and lakes are gorgeous and a short drive away, and you're near all the NE states which all have something great to offer. We have no sales tax in NH, but property taxes are high. And right now, real estate is insane here. In my town the average house sale is coming in at $550-$600k. Let me know if you have questions!
I am kind of cracking up at all the Colorado digs. Then why is everyone moving here?! Lol.
Some of them are spot on. It is a very white state/not diverse. I agree Denver as a city is bland. It is dry. Cost of housing is high.
But like I'm sitting here in October glad that it finally feels like fall. Yes, we might get a random snow in October, but it's a here today, gone tomorrow situation. I do not constantly feel ill (my hands are dry all winter but that's about it). H and I work in software and there are tons of good jobs. We have so many opportunities to get outside and hike, bike, ski, camp, drink a beer at a brewery's beer garden. The mountains are just beautiful.
I get that it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I personally can't imagine leaving.
We've been considering a move to New England and I have 2 friends in NH so this thread is helpful. Except now, thanks to Wallflower's post, I am in love with a house outside of Albany. Sigh.
Post by Wallflower on Oct 20, 2021 13:44:45 GMT -5
Vespasia, that house is within walking distance from my mother's house, and it's about 5 miles from my house. If you have any questions about the area, PM me and I'd be happy to talk about it.
. I assume he would be working in downtown Denver or near Greenwood Village. We haven’t seen a lot of suburbia yet, but we may be keen on the west side of Denver because of the mountains. But if not there, then maybe Littleton, Centennial or Parker.
Yeah, the cost of living is a definite consideration. I’m so sorry you are dealing with that situation.
If you like your area governed by people who are experts in their area or care about other people, I'd be weary of some of the southern suburbs of Denver - namely, Parker and anything in Douglas County. We are like mini Texas over here with our new Board of "Health" .... Not to force politics on any part of your decision making, but we've been here 10years and its never been as bad as it is now - we're researching other areas to move to.
My H is a software engineer, his office is (was) downtown, but he works 100% from home now. There are tons of opportunities in the metro area should he decide he wants to look for something else.
Hi! I'm north of Syracuse, almost by the Canadian border.
So are my parents! I grew up in Buffalo, but my mom's family was originally from northern NY and she inherited a summer lake house from her grandparents. About 15 minutes south of Watertown. My brother and his wife live in Syracuse, where his wife is from, but they're looking at moving up to Jefferson or St Lawrence County depending on my SIL's job - my brother just started working near my parents last year, so the commute is long.
Oh wow, that is a long commute! We visited Syracuse this last weekend and enjoyed looking around. I drove through Buffalo to get to Niagra when I was moved out to NY (drove from Seattle). Can't wait to explore more!
bunnies mentioned an important point on sunshine. I spent a few winters in NH while my friend was in Denver. January in NH stays below freezing and there is a winter cloud haze (though the haze makes for beautiful nights of light bouncing off fresh snow). Denver gets sunny days. I'm not suggesting one is better or worse, or a dealbreaker.
I like to joke that I walked up hill both to and from school, which is correct, because I went up and down a 10' snowbank in a parking lot. NH has fancy trucks that roam at night and suck up snow from the tops of snowbanks, lol! Heating oil can be expensive (like $5-10k a year depending on the cold snaps). You might have to shovel snow off your roof (they have tools for it). In NH you can get a small town feel while being a short drive (or medium drive/train) to multiple coastal metropolises.
I grew up in southern NH and live about 20 miles south of the border in MA. We (and they) get plenty of sunny days in the winter. Maybe not Denver sun, but it is not a cloudy haze all of January.
The snowfall in southern NH is not too bad. If you grew up in a winterless climate it might be hard to adjust. Some winters the snow can be bad, but a lot Januarys there is no snow at all.
I am kind of cracking up at all the Colorado digs. Then why is everyone moving here?! Lol.
Some of them are spot on. It is a very white state/not diverse. I agree Denver as a city is bland. It is dry. Cost of housing is high.
But like I'm sitting here in October glad that it finally feels like fall. Yes, we might get a random snow in October, but it's a here today, gone tomorrow situation. I do not constantly feel ill (my hands are dry all winter but that's about it). H and I work in software and there are tons of good jobs. We have so many opportunities to get outside and hike, bike, ski, camp, drink a beer at a brewery's beer garden. The mountains are just beautiful.
I get that it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I personally can't imagine leaving.
Ha, this is what I was thinking. There’s a lot of hate on Colorado in this thread considering how many people continue to move here.
I would, for the record, avoid Douglas county (Parker) though. What a fucking shit show.
Honestly I would just look anywhere you want. Most software engineers can WFH. My DH has for years and only does a quarterly visit to his “office”. He changed jobs during COVID by choice and has never met his team in person.
I'm from Atlanta and moved to Denver about 2 years ago. I also lived in Boston at one point.
Denver is my fave because of the weather. It's almost always sunny. When it's 30-something out, it doesn't feel that cold bc of the sunshine. I hated the ATL weather and have neither positive nor negative New England weather mems.
Also, people here complain about traffic but compared to ATL, it's nothing to me.
Lol re: the traffic. We were in Denver all last week on vacation, A girl in a shop we went into said she was from LA and the traffic in Denver was way worse. 😂 I did all of the driving in Denver and found it easy compared to Atlanta. We only hit a bottleneck twice, once during Friday rush hour, and it was no worse than Atlanta. Plus most people were very courteous.
bunnies mentioned an important point on sunshine. I spent a few winters in NH while my friend was in Denver. January in NH stays below freezing and there is a winter cloud haze (though the haze makes for beautiful nights of light bouncing off fresh snow). Denver gets sunny days. I'm not suggesting one is better or worse, or a dealbreaker.
I like to joke that I walked up hill both to and from school, which is correct, because I went up and down a 10' snowbank in a parking lot. NH has fancy trucks that roam at night and suck up snow from the tops of snowbanks, lol! Heating oil can be expensive (like $5-10k a year depending on the cold snaps). You might have to shovel snow off your roof (they have tools for it). In NH you can get a small town feel while being a short drive (or medium drive/train) to multiple coastal metropolises.
I grew up in southern NH and live about 20 miles south of the border in MA. We (and they) get plenty of sunny days in the winter. Maybe not Denver sun, but it is not a cloudy haze all of January.
The snowfall in southern NH is not too bad. If you grew up in a winterless climate it might be hard to adjust. Some winters the snow can be bad, but a lot Januarys there is no snow at all.
I didn’t grow up in a winterless climate, but I did grow up in an area that doesn’t get much snow. Since one of our goals is to be in a cooler climate, chances are I’ll have to learn winter diving skills no matter where we go. H is from Appalachia and already knows how to handle it. The fact that snow doesn’t stay on the ground for days on end in Denver is appealing to a winter driving noob like me.