Here’s an idea: How about we all cash in, quit our jobs and live our lives in the most beautiful state in New England? If you’re one of the lucky folks already living in New Hampshire while retired, you’re well on your way. But, the rest of us need a little inspiration for the day when we can wake up without an alarm and find new hobbies, enjoy time with friends and family and explore all that the Granite State has to offer. We’re here to offer some of that inspiration. Start thinking about the town you want to retire to, by reading through this list. HomeSnacks has put together a researched list of the best New Hampshire towns to retire in. This is based on measures including: low cost of living, low crime, things to do (measured by population density), nice weather and distance to the closest international air. The only thing left to do is…retire!
- Exeter, Rockingham County
mariano-mantel / Flickr With a population around 9,000 people, this might be a good place to live if you like running into people you know at the grocery store. It’s less then an hour from the nearest international airport, which means that once you start feeling the prying eyes of your neighbors you can high tail it out of town. Exeter also has some interesting history. It’s the former home of the Squamscott Native Americans, a part of the Pennacook nation, who did their fishing at the falls where the Exeter River becomes the tidal Squamscott.
- Berlin, Coös County
mytravelphotos / Flickr You’ll be a little further from the airport here, but this little town is a beauty so you may not want to leave. The population is slightly higher than 10,000 and it was also the place that Eastern Abenaki tribes came to mine rhyolite on Mt. Jasper.
- Durham, Strafford County
Mark Bonica / Flickr Crime is quite low in Durham, so those who’d like to avoid drama should call this town their home. You’ll find it next to Great Bay at the mouth of the Oyster River. In fact, the town was originally called ‘Oyster River Plantation’.
- Hampton, Rockingham County
jpellgen / Flickr If you like being first, Hampton is for you. Its history of being first started early when it was one of the four original New Hampshire townships created by Massachusetts, which held authority over the colony at the time. The original name of the town meant “pleasant pines,” which is still the name of the local high school.
- Portsmouth, Rockingham County
dougtone / Flickr If it’s culture and activity you crave, head straight for Portsmouth. New Hampshire’s most notable spot might be best known for the tourists it attracts, but don’t let that keep you away. It’s fun to meet new people!
- Laconia, Belknap County
appi thompson / Flickr Laconia might offer the best of both worlds: Not too small, but not too big. It’s also close to Weir Beach which means summers spent on the water. If you’re the adventurous type, you’ll like going to Monkey Trunks. But, isn’t retirement for relaxation? Chill out for a minute!
- Londonderry, Rockingham County
garylerude / Flickr The Londonderry area was originally known as “Nutfield” owing to the nut trees that fill the nearby woods. It was settled in 1718 by Scots-Irish settlers. It’s close to the airport and, at around 11,000 people, it offers a high enough population that you’ll make plenty of friends.
- Rochester, Strafford County
danatx / Flickr Rochester is another great place to live if you don’t love small towns. At 30,000 people, it’s larger than some of the others on this list, but still offers all the comforts of life in New Hampshire.
- Concord, Merrimack County
jstephenconn / Flickr The Merrimack River once made this place a great fishing spot for the Abenaki Native Americans thousands of years ago. The tribe spent time fishing for migrating salmon, sturgeon, and alewives with nets that they put across the rapids. This is another of the larger towns at more than 40,000 people.
- Milford, Hillsborough County
gnatallica / Flickr Milford came to be when, in 1794, it split from neighboring Amherst. As the name implies, the town grew around a mill built on the Souhegan River.
Now that you’ve got your retirement location set, it’s time to plan out your daily activities. Try this activity and you just might realize that you wasted all those years working when you could have been living it up the New Hampshire way!
mariano-mantel / Flickr
With a population around 9,000 people, this might be a good place to live if you like running into people you know at the grocery store. It’s less then an hour from the nearest international airport, which means that once you start feeling the prying eyes of your neighbors you can high tail it out of town. Exeter also has some interesting history. It’s the former home of the Squamscott Native Americans, a part of the Pennacook nation, who did their fishing at the falls where the Exeter River becomes the tidal Squamscott.
mytravelphotos / Flickr
You’ll be a little further from the airport here, but this little town is a beauty so you may not want to leave. The population is slightly higher than 10,000 and it was also the place that Eastern Abenaki tribes came to mine rhyolite on Mt. Jasper.
Mark Bonica / Flickr
Crime is quite low in Durham, so those who’d like to avoid drama should call this town their home. You’ll find it next to Great Bay at the mouth of the Oyster River. In fact, the town was originally called ‘Oyster River Plantation’.
jpellgen / Flickr
If you like being first, Hampton is for you. Its history of being first started early when it was one of the four original New Hampshire townships created by Massachusetts, which held authority over the colony at the time. The original name of the town meant “pleasant pines,” which is still the name of the local high school.
dougtone / Flickr
If it’s culture and activity you crave, head straight for Portsmouth. New Hampshire’s most notable spot might be best known for the tourists it attracts, but don’t let that keep you away. It’s fun to meet new people!
appi thompson / Flickr
Laconia might offer the best of both worlds: Not too small, but not too big. It’s also close to Weir Beach which means summers spent on the water. If you’re the adventurous type, you’ll like going to Monkey Trunks. But, isn’t retirement for relaxation? Chill out for a minute!
garylerude / Flickr
The Londonderry area was originally known as “Nutfield” owing to the nut trees that fill the nearby woods. It was settled in 1718 by Scots-Irish settlers. It’s close to the airport and, at around 11,000 people, it offers a high enough population that you’ll make plenty of friends.
danatx / Flickr
Rochester is another great place to live if you don’t love small towns. At 30,000 people, it’s larger than some of the others on this list, but still offers all the comforts of life in New Hampshire.
jstephenconn / Flickr
The Merrimack River once made this place a great fishing spot for the Abenaki Native Americans thousands of years ago. The tribe spent time fishing for migrating salmon, sturgeon, and alewives with nets that they put across the rapids. This is another of the larger towns at more than 40,000 people.
gnatallica / Flickr
Milford came to be when, in 1794, it split from neighboring Amherst. As the name implies, the town grew around a mill built on the Souhegan River.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
