Living and Working in Southern New Hampshire

Living and Working in Southern New Hampshire

With mountains to the north, ocean to the east, and Boston to the south, our region offers opportunities for every lifestyle.  

Southern New Hampshire: A Hub of Economic Strength, Recreation, and Community

Southern New Hampshire is an economically strong region with a low cost of living, including no state sales or income tax, outstanding schools, and safe and vibrant communities in which to raise a family. We are located less than one hour from Boston, the Seacoast of New Hampshire, and the White Mountains. The area is not only known for the premier medical and clinical excellence available but also for vast recreational opportunities for every lifestyle. 

A Great Place to Work. A Great Place to Play.

The greater Manchester region offers a thriving, diverse population, with a creative vibe. The “Queen City”, as Manchester is known, is a hospitable community with plenty of economic, artistic and recreational opportunities. Manchester is the state’s largest city, and is a great place to live, work, and play. 

  • Consistently ranked one of the best places to live in America, southern New Hampshire is an economically strong region with a low cost of living, including no state sales or income tax, outstanding schools, and safe and vibrant communities to raise a family. To back this all up, check out our Rankings from US News Report – New Hampshire is #5 overall for best state, #1 in Opportunity, #2 in Safety and #4 in Education and quality of life! 
  • Located just over the MA border, Nashua is less than one hour from Boston, the seacoast and White Mountains. The area is not only known for the premier medical and clinical excellence available, but vast recreational opportunities for every lifestyle. 
  • Extensive cultural, recreational and social offerings are available locally, including the vibrancy of Boston’s culture, fashion, music, arts and entertainment scenes. 
  • An abundance of spectacular outdoor recreation. 
  • Home to some of the finest colleges and universities in the world. 

What’s Happening in the Area

New Hampshire has lots to offer. With a major concert venue, The Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, and many smaller venues scattered throughout the state, music is vibrant and varied. Portsmouth NH offers an international film festival every fall; the Currier Museum in Manchester has special programs the first Thursday of every month. 

There are major music venues in Manchester, Portsmouth and Hampton Beach and a large outdoor pavilion in Gilford. But, there is also plenty of live music in local bars, night clubs and small venues scattered in many cities and towns. Many venues and bands have their own websites and/or social media services that will keep you informed about what’s happening. We try to get you one step closer through this section. Be sure to check colleges, the websites for the towns or regions near you as well as the customized version of the NH event calendar- NH365 

  • This NH Nightclubs site provides alphabetical listings by town and city for the current week. 
  • Hippo Press lists live music and music venues mainly in the Concord-Manchester-Nashua regions. 
  • Music venues and fairs features a searchable index of venues by town across the entire state. 
  • Mary4Music.com lists clubs that play live blues music. 
  • NH Country Music Association is dedicated to promoting country music throughout New Hampshire. Lists local country artists with links to their websites. 
  • Meadowbrook Pavilion is an all outdoor venue in Gilford (near Lake Winnipesaukee) that offers both reserved, covered and lawn seats. Concerts run during an extended summer season and span a wide spectrum of music. 
  • Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom draws some top names in entertainment. They are open from April to November. Recently, the Ballroom placed in the top 30 for worldwide ticket sales in venues under 3,000 seats. 
  • The Verizon Wireless Arena is one of New England’s major venues for concerts, sporting events and family entertainment and is located in downtown Manchester. 
  • Tupelo Music Hall is a small venue in Londonderry that presents talented nationally-recognized musicians. They offer light foot, BYOB (small opening fee) and a casual, friendly atmosphere. 
  • Capitol Center for the Arts presents a wide mix of high-quality events, including Broadway shows, dance performances, pop and country stars, family shows, international performances, school-time shows and business conferences and seminars. It is located in Concord. 
  • The Music Hall is a nonprofit performing arts center in Portsmouth that offers acclaimed film, music, theater, and dance performances. 
  • Wolfeboro Folk Concert Series is an outdoor folk/acoustic concerts in the summer and indoor concerts in the fall and winter. Both locations are in Wolfeboro and have food as well as BYOB (with small BYOB fee). 
  • A jazz fan? Check out NH Jazz Presentswhich is dedicated to the preservation and further evolution of jazz music. The company produces weekly concerts in small listening venues, including Studio 99 in Nashua and Blackstones in Laconia. 

Of course, it is natural to think about the White Mountains and all things outdoors when thoughts turn to playing in New Hampshire. And yes, NH is a natural playground featuring mountains, rivers, ocean beaches, scenic highways and much more. That’s why we have millions visit NH each year from across the country and world! But New Hampshire also has a vibrant cultural community. You’ll find big name concerts, small intimate local summer theater, fabulous restaurants, tax-free shopping, and much more. You’ll also be close to the large city of Boston, Massachusetts, where you’ll also find lots to experience such as hot ticket shows, an immersive culture, delicious dining and more.