Why New Hampshire?

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, New Hampshire has a low number (3) of active hate groups. In comparison: California (84), Texas (66), Montana (6), District of Columbia (13) and Mass (13).

Additional Sources:

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp#s=NH

According to a study by Bankrate.com, New Hampshire has the lowest home closing costs in the United States.

Additional Sources:

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/mortgages/ccmain2006a2.asp?caret=2

A study published in the Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes medical journal, New Hampshire is ranked among the best states for heart health. Specifically, the study tracked deaths by heart attacks and hopital readmissions after heart attack or failure.

Additional Sources:

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Health/HeartHealth/story?id=8044313&page=1

The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s annual “Kids Count” program has ranked New Hampshire as the best state to raise children. This would re-confirm New Hampshire’s #1 status, a place it’s held 4 times in the past 5 years.

Additional Sources:

http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/acrossstates/Rankings.aspx?ind=137

http://unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Report%3a+NH+still+No.+1+for+raising+kids&articleId=711927b0-3072-4fbe-9a7c-48695ffbbed6

Young adults do not require a learner’s permit in order to begin operating a motor vehicle with adult supervision. New Hampshire is the only state in the United States that does not have a mandatory permit for this kind of operation.

Additional Sources:

http://www.cracked.com/article_17018_p2.html

http://www.dmv.org/nh-new-hampshire/teen-drivers.php#Learner_Permit

According to CNN’s rankings, four New Hampshire cities appear in the “Best Places To Live 2009″ list.

Merrimack, NH – # 43

Hanover, NH – # 50

Hooksett, NH – # 66

Concord, NH – # 95

Additional Sources:

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2009/top100/

According to Forbes.com, the Manchester-Nashua metro area is the best cheap place to live anywhere within the United States. “The Manchester-Nashua metro area ranks first on our list of America’s 100 Cheapest Places To Live. Among the U.S. cities with the most affordable housing and lowest cost of living, the Queen City offers the best combination of safety, employment opportunity and general quality of life.”

Additional Sources:

http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/13/cheap-cities-property-lifestyle-real-estate-cheap-places.html

New Hampshire is the only state whose parks rely totally on gate receipts for funding.

Additional Source:

http://www.theunionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=27+NH+parks+could+be+up+for+grabs&articleId=af7c6d06-f8e9-459f-86c6-f65b259c3862

Freedom in the 50 States: An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom, a study undertaken at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, ranks New Hampshire as the most free state in the USA.

Additional Sources:

http://www.mercatus.org/PublicationDetails.aspx?id=26154

Kiplinger.com ranks Manchester, New Hampshire as the second tax friendliest city based on personal income, property and automotive taxes.

Additional Source:

http://www.kiplinger.com/tools/slideshows/slideshow_pop.html?nm=Taxfriendlycities

http://finance.yahoo.com/taxes/article/106691/Top-10-Tax-Friendly-Cities