For many in the construction industry, Boston has long been considered a great place to work with many exciting projects to be a part of. However, for some job searchers, New Hampshire is fast becoming an alternative ideal location based on their individual needs and preferences. So, should you work in Boston or New Hampshire? In this article, we weigh up the pros and cons of both in terms of commuting, tax benefits, salaries, quality of life and work projects.

Traffic Time and Commuting

In a recent poll I conducted on LinkedIn, 92% said the traffic in Boston made them reconsider working there and, in my experience, it is one of the biggest reasons job searchers look to relocate to New Hampshire. In 2020, drivers in Boston lost 48 hours to traffic making it the 4th most congested urban area in the US. This is 68% down from 2019 and with factors such as Covid-19 likely impacting the 2020 figures, the traffic times are likely to be longer again this year. HSH.com, released the study Live here, work there: Best places to live outside the big city, and suggested that New Hampshire was the best place to live for those working in Boston and wanting to live outside of the city. If you work in New Hampshire as well as live there, traffic will be considerably better, yet unfortunately this won’t be much help for those working in Boston and still facing these traffic problems on their daily commute.

Tax Benefits

A major benefit of living in New Hampshire is the lower tax. New Hampshire has no income tax on wages and salaries. However, there is a 5% tax on interest and dividends. The state also has no sales tax. In Cato’s Freedom in the 50 states report, New Hampshire was ranked No2 for economic and social freedoms, whilst Massachusetts was ranked No23. According to the report, New Hampshire’s state government taxes less than any other state apart from Alaska. If we compare this to Boston, Massachusetts’ overall tax burden is just slightly higher than average, however individual income taxes are among the highest in the country.

Salary

Perhaps one of the biggest advantages of working in Boston is the average salary. The average employee is paid $80,000, and specifically within construction, the average pay is $60,000. If we compare this to New Hampshire, the national average is $68,000 and for construction, the average pay is $36,650 – this is a significant difference. Based on my experience in construction recruitment, on average a mid-level Superintendent with 10 years of experience would be on a salary of around $150k base in Boston, whereas for New Hampshire the same role would equate to around $100/110k base. Although the state tax is significantly lower, so is the pay. This does, however, seem a manageable difference when we compare the cost of living in both areas. In terms of food, transportation, health services, rent, utilities, taxes, and miscellaneous, the cost of living in Boston is 48% more than the average cost of living in the US in general.

 

 

Quality of life

HSH’s study suggested that ‘The big potential win here is a move to New Hampshire, which has no income tax on wages, sharply lower home prices, and considerably less crime.’ Comparing the crime rates between both Boston and New Hampshire, this 2021 reportsuggests that violent crime for Boston was rated 37% and 9% for New Hampshire. However, in terms of property crime there isn’t much difference: Boston was rated 35.8% and New Hampshire 31.7%. However, if you are contemplating a move to New Hampshire, it is worth considering that Massachusetts does perform better on standardized school tests.

Projects

For many in construction, working on exciting projects is a really important aspect of their job.  Arguably, Boston tends to have bigger and more exciting projects, but there are still plenty of projects to consider in New Hampshire. This article highlights all of the projects upcoming and in progress in  Boston construction, and this report highlights the Top 10 New Hampshire construction projects.

Should you work in Boston or New Hampshire?

If you are looking for bigger projects and a larger salary, Boston can be a great choice, but on the other hand New Hampshire offers a more affordable quality of life and less time spent in traffic on your daily commute. My advice for those who are unsure is if you don’t have much project experience under your belt, try to get this initially with a company in Boston, and if at a later stage you decide to move to New Hampshire, you will already have that solid resume and repour of projects to land your perfect role in New Hampshire. However, be aware, you will most likely be taking a pay cut, but the other benefits may just swing it for you!

 

 

If you are interested in a new career challenge, or you’re simply looking for some advice on where to go next, I am keen to arrange a confidential discussion with you. Email me at jennifer.levenston@crimsonxt.com