Top Ten Reasons Manchester, NH is a Great Place to Work and Live

manchester

By: Justess Jacobson – December, 2014

I have lived in Manchester since I was 8 years old. I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but it truly was a great choice. Even though there are some down sides, I still realized that it truly is a great place to live. Here are the top ten reasons why.

10. Highways everywhere! Interstates 93, 293, and Route 101 all run through Manchester. No matter where you are in the city, you are never more than ten minutes away from a highway at anytime.

9. Location. Much like previously mentioned, when you’re close to a highway you are close to traveling anywhere. Being 45 minutes from the seacoast, 45 minutes from the mountains, and 45 minutes from Boston, there is never a lack of places to go.

8. Nightlife. I know, I know, there is no decent strip club in Manchester, but there isn’t a good one in NH anyway. However, we do have plenty of nightlife clubs that are great to socialize, and meet people with common interests. They are all closely located and easy to walk to for a great night of bar hopping. With the new arrival of “Uber” it makes this perk much more…perkier.

7. Manchvegas Alerts. This Facebook group sounds kind of stupid, but the amount of good, and sense of community that comes from it is astounding. The page is run by a mother who listens to the police scanner, and alerts what is going on in the city: school closings, road closings, and other important information for the locals. She also adds in some contests and prizes. One of the greatest perks of this page is when something happens, to you or to someone else, everyone is willing to come together and help each other out. Someone steal your car? Lost your dog? Have a fundraiser that you want to get the word out? This is the community page to go to. It is awesome during emergencies and even power outages. When she can’t be on the scanner, other people will post to the page and post pictures. Finally, social media has done something right

6. Living. There are so many opportunities to look around for housing, both temporary and permanent. Need an apartment while you save for a house? Not a great income, a couple of kids? Housing in Manchester is relatively cheap, and even in the “scariest” of neighborhoods, for the most part, they leave you alone unless you wronged the wrong person.

5. The Skyline, the beauty, the adventures that happen all around you everyday. I used to go for runs (when I tried the whole weight loss thing) and there were some absolutely beautiful walks I’d go for. *INSERT PICTURES HERE* The city itself is absolutely breathtaking.

4. Entertainment. The Verizon Wireless Arena for one, keeps Manchester a tourist haven where there are many concerts, and sporting events. I have seen numerous concerts there that range from Jonas Brothers to Matchbox 20. I have seen numerous amounts of Monarchs games, and The Monster Jam. Seating is great, and for the most part, it’s one of the cheaper venues. There are also places like The Palace Theatre, which is the oldest theatre in the city, dating back to 1913. It was also featured in the Syfy show “Ghost Hunters” as it has a haunted history.

3. Jobs. When the economy hit a low with the recent recession, the entire country was hit hard. New Hampshire actually had the lowest rate of laid off workers, and Manchester was part of that reason. There are always jobs available, and always room to build small business with our downtown district always leasing.

2. Healthcare. Manchester has two hospitals that are both leading in not only the state, but the country. Catholic Medical Center is known for it’s cardiac care that has saved thousands of lives. Elliot Hospital, which is not only the second largest employer in the state (behind the education system), but it won the most wired award for healthcare three years in a row, has the top trauma center, an award winning cancer unit, and intensive care unit. With one located on either side of town, there is always medical help right away.

1. The Quality of life here is honestly great. That is why Manchester was ranked the Number 9th place to live in the country. The crime rate is relatively low, especially violent crimes. The economy is great, and getting better as we transform our historic mills into a budding technological capital, and the overall happiness and opportunities for families here. There are always local shops, contests, scouts, and other talents that come looking in the Manchester area. It’s a clean city with a transportation system that works for everyone. The busses stop at every corner, and free rides during the harsh times of weather (in the summer, and dead of winter, the busses run free for anyone that needs a place to warm up or cool down).

As I said before, we look at Manchester and forget that it has history. The mill buildings still have areas that are reserved for historical tours, and museums that show the history of the Queen City. We have the Merrimack River that is a major part of the city that also has a past with severe flooding. Manchester isn’t just great because I live here. It’s great because people take pride in where we are, and take pride in living in this wonderful city that we call home.