New England

[imoldernu]

A little bit homesick. For the first 40+ years of our lives, DW and I lived in New England. Everywhere in New England at one time or another, though we both originated in Pawtucket, RI. (as kids... beginning age 7 or 8, we were good friends, but it wasn't until highschool that we had our first "date").

Everywhere means from Fort Kent, to Martha's Vineyard, to New Haven, Falmouth, Greenfield, Laconia, St. Albans, Boston (DW's Sargent College), Brunswick, (my college), Ayer, Newport, and my folks last home, in Barrington.

In_control posted a recent photo of Colt Drive in Bristol, RI and it triggered wonderful memories of sailing in Narragansett Bay. When my mom passed away, in 1995, it was the end of an era. Our smallish family had mostly moved away, and there were no 'homesteads" to return to when BIL died around the same time, so we never went back.

... and yet, in that fuzzy afterglow of memory... a different era... a different world... so! NOW... it's time to dig into those boxes of pictures that go back to the 1800's and to do a 'reminisce'... Maybe I'll find that picture of me and my three cousins, age about 5 to 7...sitting on a curb in Providence, on our way to Ocean Grove Beach... watching a dirigible flying overhead... on its' way to the Newport Naval Air Station (Quonset)... circa 1942, 1943.

But I digress... What I really wanted to ask is: Is anyone here from New England? Failing that, any contemporary observations or memories that you can share?

Has anyone considered New England as a retirement destination?

 

[braumeister]

I'm from NYC, but love New England and try to make at least one trip there every year.

My favorite parts:

The Maine coastline. I enjoy the whole thing, all the way up to Calais (pronounced "callus"). Avoiding the hordes of summer tourists who clog the roads can be tricky, so I generally go late in the season, around this time of year.

Vermont, but again I try to avoid the crowds of "leaf peepers" as much as possible. When I was young, a family tradition was always making a drive up to Vermont in the Spring to buy maple syrup from the source. Northern Vermont is both more interesting and more fun than southern part, IMHO. There are some fantastic artisan cheesemakers in Vermont, and they get great support from the state. Maine is now doing similarly.

The North Woods of Maine. I enjoy camping where there might not be anyone else for a great many miles. It's also fun to have my folding kayak in the trunk for a bit of fishing on those isolated lakes.

I have seriously considered Portland, Maine as a retirement destination. It's still on my list.

 

[Gumby]

We currently live in Milford, CT, on Long Island Sound, and previously lived in Mystic, CT. Every summer, we rent a house for two weeks in Damariscotta, ME. Among other vacation spots, we've stayed in Boston and Newport, on Block Island and Nantucket, in Chester, VT and Pinkham Notch, NH. On sunny days, we sometimes drive in the roadster to Great Barrington, MA or Northampton, MA. And, of course, we constantly travel the length and breadth of our own great state of Connecticut. When I was young, I lived in Fall River, MA and Newport, RI (among many other places).

We love New England, from sailing on Sound to climbing in the White Mountains to watching the Red Sox, and we plan to stay here. I've seen much of the rest of the US (and lived in a great many other places), and I like New England the best.

 

[pb4uski]

...But I digress... What I really wanted to ask is: Is anyone here from New England? Failing that, any contemporary observations or memories that you can share?

Has anyone considered New England as a retirement destination?

I have lived in New England my entire life (so far ). Born and raised in Vermont, college in Boston, back to Vermont for a few years, then back to the Boston area for 6 years, then back to Vermont for the last 28 years where we retired a couple years ago.

We live on a small lake but will likely spend winters somewhere warmer. I love the three seasons, but winter is becoming a drudgery and I am thankful I am in a position where I can chose to go away.

The only thing that I'm not keen on is it is very expensive compared to other parts of the country. Our property tax rate is about $2.10 per hundred, plus 6% sales tax plus ~3.8% income tax so between all those I suspect I'm paying $13k+ a year in taxes and I'm not even working!

 

[flotsamandjetsam]

We love New England seasons, coastline and mountains but hate the New England traffic associated with the northern extent of the East Coast Megalopolis. It's back to school time here and the roads are clogged! We are half-in, half-out of the workforce now and thinking about splitting our time between the Maine Coast and some place warmer.

 

[aja8888]

Born and raised in Connecticut and lived (in this order) in Oakville, Waterbury, Watertown and Southbury. I was educated in Waterbury schools and went to college on the G.I. Bill (after Viet Nam) in New Haven (U of New Haven - was New Haven College at the time).

I worked in Connecticut (Waterbury and Ansonia) until the brass business went into the tank, then I took a job with ARCO in Los Angeles.

I have a sister left in Waterbury with her family. I go back occasionally, but it is increasingly depressing to see the crumbling of the industrial base and the ever increasing taxes and community decay in the Naugatuck Valley.

My fondest memories are when I used to go clam digging in Ninigret Park area of RI (Charlston). I went so much during college years, I had a non-resident yearly shellfish license.

http://www.exploreri.org/documents/watertrailmaps/SPC_ninigret.pdf

 

[TallTim]

Went to college in CT, lived in NYC for a couple yrs., as well as 4+ yrs in the Berkshires in western MA. Home and DW's family now all in CA ... but I do miss summer and fall in NEngland. Our bucket list includes renting a house for Aug/Sep walking distance to shopping, dining and cultural stuff in one of those Berkshire towns. We still have friends there and try to get back annually to visit. I don't miss winters (esp Feb/Mar/Apr) or mud season (aka Spring).

 

[braumeister]

The only thing that I'm not keen on is it is very expensive compared to other parts of the country. Our property tax rate is about $2.10 per hundred, plus 6% sales tax plus ~3.8% income tax so between all those I suspect I'm paying $13k+ a year in taxes and I'm not even working!

You might want to recalibrate your expectations. Here in southern Ohio, which I consider a low cost area, we have property tax of $1.98 per hundred, 6.75% sales tax, and over 4% income tax. Property values are probably lower here, but your rates don't sound very expensive to me.

 

[Corporateburnout]

I've lived in the Boston area for the last 40 years. The first 18 in the northern suburbs and the last 22 in the southern suburbs. I worked in RI for 22 years so I'm very familiar with Pawtucket, Barrington and Providence. I play tennis in Cumberland and Lincoln.

Despite the high cost of living we plan to stay here as we are located within 30 minutes to an hour from Boston, Providence, Cape Cod, Newport, Northern NH and southern Maine close to cultural activities, dining, beaches, pro and college sports. We are both retired and we take advantage of most of these activities and events.

 

[pb4uski]

You might want to recalibrate your expectations. Here in southern Ohio, which I consider a low cost area, we have property tax of $1.98 per hundred, 6.75% sales tax, and over 4% income tax. Property values are probably lower here, but your rates don't sound very expensive to me.

Perhaps, but according to this, Vermont was 9th highest in the nation in property taxes as a % of property value at 1.59% and Ohio was 11th highest at 1.36% and the national average was 1.04%. Also, none of the New England states were lower than the national average and Massachusetts was the lowest of the New England states at 21st.

Property Taxes on Owner-Occupied Housing by State, 2004 - 2009 | Tax Foundation

 

[marko]

Eleventh generation New Englander here, most of it in the same town...still living in my great-grandpa's house but that's not so unusual in these parts; almost everyone in my neighborhood is living in their parents or grandparent's former homes.

Love the area, being near/on the ocean, small towns but 30 mins away from good schools/hospitals in Boston. Great sailing, beaches and mountain winter skiing only a short hop away.

Winters however, have become a drag and we spend them in Florida now. Taxes and an increasingly overbearing political correctness (imagine being admonished in a supermarket by a complete stranger for using plastic! and I'm sorry that I don't drive a Prius) are also becoming quite tiresome and we have found ourselves talking about uprooting completely at some point.

 

[Senator]

I lived in Middleboro, MA for five years. Went to HS there. I remember all of the stone walls just about every where in all the woods. And the great bass fishing in the cranberry bog reservoirs. And fishing for stripers in the Cape Code canal and surf casting off some of the remote 4x4 beaches.

But, I would never consider retiring there. Too many taxes and too many issues for me.

 

[Midpack]

DW grew up in RI (her Dad was Navy), and I've been there with her countless times since we married. We have relatives in MA, RI & VT. We've biked VT and sailed out of Provincetown, Gloucester, Nantucket, MV, BI, Sag Harbor, Newport, Mystic, Stonington, East G, etc. We used to vacation on Nantucket the week after Labor Day every year. Two of our favorite fine dining restaurants are in RI.

And we once had every intention to retire in Mystic CT, but COL ended that plan.

We love to visit NE but COL, winters and politics took NE off our retirement location short list years ago...

 

[ImThinkin2019]

I grew up in Nashua and DW grew up around Fall River. Have lived away from New England most of our lives but intend to retire in CT east of Hartford, to be close to family.

Looking forward to having lots of things to do, most at home or within a few hours drive. Like walking the dogs on the beach in the winter, cutting and burning wood, gardening, hiking, fishing, helping others. Yes, the winter is harsh but we'll probably take up cross country skiing. (Not doing it now because we live where there is no snow.)

And lots of good food available, due to the various immigrant populations. Especially the Italians and the Portuguese. Every time we go back we get chourico.....

 

[braumeister]

Perhaps, but according to this, Vermont was 9th highest in the nation in property taxes as a % of property value at 1.59% and Ohio was 11th highest at 1.36%

I apologize for taking the thread slightly off topic on this, but on reflection I have to agree that Vermont is expensive. It's just that the numbers you had in your earlier post were close enough to mine here in low cost southern Ohio that it struck me as odd.
According to this calculator, your area is about 28% more expensive than mine.

 

[ChiliPepr]

Born, raised and still living inside of 128. Grew up and currently live just north of Boston, but lived for 17 years in downtown Boston (South End).

We are currently struggling about where to live after retirement. Probably going to find someplace a bit further from Boston (Portsmouth NH maybe?) to live and travel 3-5 months over the winter.

 

[pb4uski]

I apologize for taking the thread slightly off topic on this, but on reflection I have to agree that Vermont is expensive. It's just that the numbers you had in your earlier post were close enough to mine here in low cost southern Ohio that it struck me as odd.
According to this calculator, your area is about 28% more expensive than mine.

Where I live is probably higher, but not quite as bad because the calculator only has Chittenden county which is hugely expensive compared to where I am out in the boonies. But compared to many areas of the country, we are both in high cost areas.

 

[Corporateburnout]

Born, raised and still living inside of 128. Grew up and currently live just north of Boston, but lived for 17 years in downtown Boston (South End).

We are currently struggling about where to live after retirement. Probably going to find someplace a bit further from Boston (Portsmouth NH maybe?) to live and travel 3-5 months over the winter.

We just spent a few days in Portsmouth NH and loved it. Nice downtown with lots of eateries and shopping and easy commute to all beaches of NH and southern Maine (York, Ogunquit, Kennebunkport) and less than an hour ride from Boston (maybe two hours with the usual traffic congestion).

 

[martyp]

I was born in Seattle but at age 1 we moved to Norwalk, CT. I left for CA after my sophomore year at UConn. I wouldn't consider retiring there but in October I'm heading back for my 40 yr high school reunion. It will be a nostalgia trip.

 

[Bestwifeever]

We have family in Pawtucket and have spent a lot of time in Rhode Island--grandparents grew up in and retired to Woonsocket so every three or four years my family would vacation there. Rhode Island is a beautiful and unusual state in many ways.

 

[ImThinkin2019]

We have family in Pawtucket and have spent a lot of time in Rhode Island--grandparents grew up in and retired to Woonsocket so every three or four years my family would vacation there. Rhode Island is a beautiful and unusual state in many ways.

AHA, now you can be our Gaspar's Chourico connection. We could gang together and place a bulk order direct to the factory

 

[Tree-dweller]

Never have escaped New England's clutches. I spent the first 30 years in various Boston neighborhoods, the second 30 in a nearby suburb. DW and I talk about moving sometimes to a small place on the water somewhere, but that somewhere would still be in NE. Yeah, winters can be awful and summers are short and sticky, but while San Diegans may say seasons are overrated, we like having 4 seasons, are invigorated by them. An occasional bad weather day just makes us appreciate the good ones that much more!

 

[Elbata]

Mom born in Laconia. I would visit with family during growing up years. Older relatives are dying so not the vibrant excitement that I used to know as a child. But oh does New England capture my heart.

Here's a post I did in my blog of New England ~5 years ago: Uncommonly Brilliant: Appalachian Spring

 

[Bikerdude]

From a recent bike trip on the East Bay bike trail. Photo was taken in Bristol RI.

 

[In-control]

Just one day in MA

Since being semi-retired and living in Central MA we are doing alot of day trips and one thing that is great is that w/i two hours we can be in NYC, Kennebunckport ME., Burlington VT., Fracona Notch NH, Newport RI. We leave @ 9am and then start to return home ~ 7pm - missing the commuters.

Attached are some photo's along two bike trails - the Cape Cod Canal and another one in central MA. One was Monday and other Tuesday this week!

And no - I did not catch those Strippers.