peakbagger
09-30-2011, 09:05
Over the years on whiteblaze, there are many threads by folks who want to relocate to a "trail town" after a hike or perhaps when they have had a change in circumstances. Northern NH has gotten the reputation of a great place to live but tough to find a job. That still can be true anywhere if someone is looking for work with no skills and a lousy attitude, but Northern NH lately is looking up for those with skills and a good attitude. The AT runs through the region and Gorham NH is generally regarded as the last major trail town for northbounders.
First the disclaimer, The following is my opinion, other folks may have others, I have no stake in anyone's decision on how and where to live. If you want to make the move, its up to you, there arent a lot of folks around that are going to hold your hand.
There has been pretty steady seasonal and year round construction work in the area for the last few years and this looks to be continuing with a 275 million dollar biomass power plant that is starting construction soon, this is a union job but given the location there arent a lot of union folks left in the area and its a long drive from the areas with union members so I expect that there will be a demand for apprentices. Along with the major project, there is a local non union steel fabricator that is going to be staffing up to support the power plant plus another firm in the area that builds prefab steel structures (this tends to be on and off work). The local papermill in Gorham NH was recently purchased by a serious owner (after years of decline) and has plans to increase their production by installing at least one new papermachine. The papermill has been decining for years and as a result they hired few young folks, so a majority of the workforce are getting ready to retire in a few years so there will be a demand for folks with the right skills and attitude to backfill. The biomass power plant is also potentially going to attract some co-development on the site and given the demand for wood, I expect the logging firms are going to be staffing up. Due to the proximity to the canadian border, given the high canadian dollar, firms are starting to look at locating in NH as the cost of labor is competitive.
There is a also a state prison in town that is usually hiring and a federal prison that is most likely going to be staffing up (300 plus federal jobs).
Overall the work force in the area is getting "old" and therefore younger workers are in demand. The federal prison limits new hires to age 39 years or less so filling these postions are tough as the average age of the workforce in the mid fifties.
Housing is available and very low cost (for the NE), Berlin NH has an excess of housing and a lot of well cared for homes are on the market as people leave the areas in retirement to go south, many nice houses can be had for less than 100K. There are also a lot of very poor condition housing, although the community is making a dent at it. Overall for New England, its not an expensive place to live, although winter heating costs will be a shock to most folks.
Are the streets paved with gold, heck no, but compared to many areas along the AT, there is some positive economic news and the cost to live is somewhat reasonable. The folks who will be successfull in moving to area will have a few attributes,
1. They are able to pass employment drug tests, initially and possibly ongoing, If you use the "herb" and are not willing to give it up dont waste your time unless you want seasonal temporary work.
2. Come with a skill, preferably vocational training, there is a technical college in the area but inevitably, its two year event. College degrees are of less value unless you have a social work background and want to work for the state of NH (state employment is shrinking). Sure there are bankers and lawyers in the area but not many.
3. Be prepared for a somewhat "rural" lifestyle, there are no Starbucks in Coos County. You may have to drive 30 miles for a movie and there isnt a lot of choice on where to buy groceries. Of course you are surrounded by one of the most undeveloped regions in Northern New England and the Whites. If you do need civilization, Portland Maine and the maine coast is 90 miles away as well as North Conway and Littleton NH within 45 minutes.
4. Expect it will take awhile to get established, you may have to work seasonal work initially.
5. One of the most important things is that you have to be reliable and want to work, your reputation will get made on your first job and it will follow you as long as you are in the area. Workers from the area usually have a good reputation elsewhere, they work hard and give the employer good value for wages.
A few cautions
1. NH unemployment is one of the lowest rates in the nation, dont plan on living on it for long.
2. Its can start snowing in November and not stop until April, if you dont like winter and dont have winter recreation hobbies, you will not be happy. Most folks make it past the holidays and right around January 30th head south never to return if they dont like winter.
3. Its can get darn cold during the winter, it does dip to minus 20 on occasion in Jan and Feb and minus 30 overnight a couple of times per winter happens.
4. There are not a lot of free social services like soup kitchens, free clinics and homeless shelters, head to Portland Maine for that. In general they make it tough for most folks to get on welfare programs (although there is a depressing high number of unwed mothers living on the dole)
5. No state income tax and no sales tax is offset by a lot of taxes on tourist (room and meals tax) and very high property taxes (depdends on where you live)
6. Like it or not, there are plenty of 55 to 65 year olds in the area with the wrong skills and attitude who are looking for work until they qualify for social security, it you are in that category, its probably not a great place to move to.
Do note that many of the attributes to be successful in Northern NH are needed in many places.
Here is a link to the local newspaper, its online 4 days per week for free. This link has an article about the local employment activity.
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/files/pdfarchivenew/BerlinPDF/2011/09_September/30B.pdf
First the disclaimer, The following is my opinion, other folks may have others, I have no stake in anyone's decision on how and where to live. If you want to make the move, its up to you, there arent a lot of folks around that are going to hold your hand.
There has been pretty steady seasonal and year round construction work in the area for the last few years and this looks to be continuing with a 275 million dollar biomass power plant that is starting construction soon, this is a union job but given the location there arent a lot of union folks left in the area and its a long drive from the areas with union members so I expect that there will be a demand for apprentices. Along with the major project, there is a local non union steel fabricator that is going to be staffing up to support the power plant plus another firm in the area that builds prefab steel structures (this tends to be on and off work). The local papermill in Gorham NH was recently purchased by a serious owner (after years of decline) and has plans to increase their production by installing at least one new papermachine. The papermill has been decining for years and as a result they hired few young folks, so a majority of the workforce are getting ready to retire in a few years so there will be a demand for folks with the right skills and attitude to backfill. The biomass power plant is also potentially going to attract some co-development on the site and given the demand for wood, I expect the logging firms are going to be staffing up. Due to the proximity to the canadian border, given the high canadian dollar, firms are starting to look at locating in NH as the cost of labor is competitive.
There is a also a state prison in town that is usually hiring and a federal prison that is most likely going to be staffing up (300 plus federal jobs).
Overall the work force in the area is getting "old" and therefore younger workers are in demand. The federal prison limits new hires to age 39 years or less so filling these postions are tough as the average age of the workforce in the mid fifties.
Housing is available and very low cost (for the NE), Berlin NH has an excess of housing and a lot of well cared for homes are on the market as people leave the areas in retirement to go south, many nice houses can be had for less than 100K. There are also a lot of very poor condition housing, although the community is making a dent at it. Overall for New England, its not an expensive place to live, although winter heating costs will be a shock to most folks.
Are the streets paved with gold, heck no, but compared to many areas along the AT, there is some positive economic news and the cost to live is somewhat reasonable. The folks who will be successfull in moving to area will have a few attributes,
1. They are able to pass employment drug tests, initially and possibly ongoing, If you use the "herb" and are not willing to give it up dont waste your time unless you want seasonal temporary work.
2. Come with a skill, preferably vocational training, there is a technical college in the area but inevitably, its two year event. College degrees are of less value unless you have a social work background and want to work for the state of NH (state employment is shrinking). Sure there are bankers and lawyers in the area but not many.
3. Be prepared for a somewhat "rural" lifestyle, there are no Starbucks in Coos County. You may have to drive 30 miles for a movie and there isnt a lot of choice on where to buy groceries. Of course you are surrounded by one of the most undeveloped regions in Northern New England and the Whites. If you do need civilization, Portland Maine and the maine coast is 90 miles away as well as North Conway and Littleton NH within 45 minutes.
4. Expect it will take awhile to get established, you may have to work seasonal work initially.
5. One of the most important things is that you have to be reliable and want to work, your reputation will get made on your first job and it will follow you as long as you are in the area. Workers from the area usually have a good reputation elsewhere, they work hard and give the employer good value for wages.
A few cautions
1. NH unemployment is one of the lowest rates in the nation, dont plan on living on it for long.
2. Its can start snowing in November and not stop until April, if you dont like winter and dont have winter recreation hobbies, you will not be happy. Most folks make it past the holidays and right around January 30th head south never to return if they dont like winter.
3. Its can get darn cold during the winter, it does dip to minus 20 on occasion in Jan and Feb and minus 30 overnight a couple of times per winter happens.
4. There are not a lot of free social services like soup kitchens, free clinics and homeless shelters, head to Portland Maine for that. In general they make it tough for most folks to get on welfare programs (although there is a depressing high number of unwed mothers living on the dole)
5. No state income tax and no sales tax is offset by a lot of taxes on tourist (room and meals tax) and very high property taxes (depdends on where you live)
6. Like it or not, there are plenty of 55 to 65 year olds in the area with the wrong skills and attitude who are looking for work until they qualify for social security, it you are in that category, its probably not a great place to move to.
Do note that many of the attributes to be successful in Northern NH are needed in many places.
Here is a link to the local newspaper, its online 4 days per week for free. This link has an article about the local employment activity.
http://www.laconiadailysun.com/files/pdfarchivenew/BerlinPDF/2011/09_September/30B.pdf