Moving from Connecticut to New Hampshire

The tax picture, stated plainly

Connecticut levies a personal income tax and a state sales and use tax. New Hampshire has neither a broad-based personal income tax nor a general sales tax, and the interest and dividends tax — the last remaining state tax on individual income — was repealed for taxable periods beginning after December 31, 2024.

The trade-off is local property tax. New Hampshire funds schools and municipal services mainly through the property tax, with rates set town by town. Two towns twenty minutes apart can carry very different bills on the same assessed value, so compare the total tax rate together with the assessment, never the rate alone.

If you keep Connecticut-source income after the move — a Connecticut workplace, a Connecticut business, Connecticut rental property — Connecticut may still tax it. Part-year and non-resident filing rules are fact-specific. Confirm your own situation with a tax professional before assuming a change in take-home pay.

The drive, and how often you will make it

There is no short version of this trip. From the Hartford area, I-91 north to I-89 or across Route 2 and I-93 is the usual routing; from Fairfield County most people run I-95 and I-91, or take the Merritt to I-91. Plan on a multi-hour drive each way and price it honestly if you expect to return regularly for family or work.

For air travel, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport serves southern and central New Hampshire, and Boston Logan is the long-haul option for most of the state. Portland International Jetport covers parts of the Seacoast and the eastern side.

If part of the household will keep working in Connecticut or New York, treat travel frequency as a first-order decision, not a detail. It usually dictates which part of New Hampshire makes sense before any other preference does.

Deadlines in your first weeks

• Driver's licence: RSA 263:35 requires a new resident to obtain a New Hampshire licence within 60 days of establishing residency.
• Vehicle registration: New Hampshire registration is a two-part process — you register at your town or city clerk first, then complete the state portion. Budget for the municipal permit fee, which is based on the vehicle's list price and age.
• Voter registration: register with your town or city clerk, or at a supervisors of the checklist session.
• Utilities and trash: many New Hampshire towns do not provide curbside collection, and some have no municipal water or sewer. Confirm with the town before you assume a service exists.

What differs at the closing table

Private wells and septic systems are common outside the larger cities and villages. Treat them as a separate diligence item from the general home inspection: locate the septic system, review the approved design and any state approvals on file, and have it evaluated by an appropriately qualified professional. For a private well, follow current NH DES guidance and property-specific professional advice on what to test.

New Hampshire's Real Estate Transfer Tax is assessed on both the buyer and the seller. As of this guide's review date (2026-08-13), the NH Department of Revenue Administration states a rate of $0.75 per $100 of price for each side. Rates and mechanics change; verify the current figure with the DRA and your closing attorney before you budget or close.

Radon-in-air testing is common practice in New Hampshire, and arsenic and radon in well water are recognised concerns in parts of the state. Older homes may also warrant lead paint disclosure review.

Winter is an operating cost, not just a season

Heating in much of New Hampshire is oil, propane or a heat pump rather than natural gas, and gas service is limited to certain corridors. Ask what the system is, when it was installed and what the last full season cost.

Snow removal, plowing a long private drive, and roof and ice-dam management are ordinary line items north of the Massachusetts border. Budget for them the way you would budget for utilities.