You’re sitting there with two browser tabs open. One shows a charming brick row house in Center Square, Albany. The other is a cozy Cape Cod-style home tucked away near Manchester or Nashua. You’ve heard the rumors. New Hampshire is the "tax-free paradise," and Albany is the "gritty capital" of New York.
But honestly? Most of those stereotypes are stuck in 2012.
Choosing between Albany vs New Hampshire isn't just about moving a few hours across a state line. It’s a total shift in how you spend your Tuesdays and how much of your paycheck actually hits your bank account. I’ve seen people move to the Granite State for the "no income tax" dream only to get punched in the face by a property tax bill that looks like a car loan.
The Tax Trap Nobody Warns You About
Let’s talk money first because that’s usually why this debate starts. New Hampshire is one of the few states with no sales tax and no state income tax. That sounds like a 5% to 7% raise right out of the gate, right?
Kinda.
New Hampshire has to pay for its schools and roads somehow. They do that through property taxes. In fact, New Hampshire has some of the highest property tax rates in the entire country. If you buy a $400,000 home in a town like Derry or Merrimack, don’t be shocked if your annual tax bill clears $8,000 or even $10,000.
Albany, New York, is the opposite. You’ll pay state income tax. You’ll pay 8% sales tax on that new TV. But the actual cost of the house? It’s often significantly lower. In 2026, Albany remains one of the last "affordability holdouts" in the Northeast. While Manchester and Portsmouth home prices have skyrocketed due to the "Boston overflow," Albany’s median home price still sits comfortably below the national average.
You’re basically choosing between a "pay as you go" model in New York or a "pay for where you sleep" model in New Hampshire.
Vibe Check: The "State Worker" City vs. The "Live Free" Woods
Albany is a city-lover's city, but on a miniature scale. It’s got that weird, beautiful mix of brutalist architecture—thanks to the Empire State Plaza—and 19th-century brownstones. It feels lived-in. There’s a legitimate "cool" factor happening in the Warehouse District with breweries and axe-throwing, and Lark Street still feels like a gritty Greenwich Village.
New Hampshire is different.
Even its biggest cities, Manchester and Nashua, feel more like a collection of large suburban towns. If you live in New Hampshire, your life is likely centered around the outdoors. You’re 45 minutes from the White Mountains. You’re 30 minutes from the seacoast. You’re basically living in a giant park.
In Albany, you're "near" things. You're near the Adirondacks, near the Catskills, and near NYC via a 2.5-hour Amtrak ride. In New Hampshire, you are in it.
The Job Market Reality
If you work in tech, Albany might actually surprise you. The "Tech Valley" branding isn't just marketing fluff anymore. Between GlobalFoundries in nearby Malta and the massive investments in SUNY Polytechnic, the semiconductor and R&D scene is booming. It’s stable. It’s high-paying.
New Hampshire’s job market is heavily influenced by Massachusetts. A huge chunk of the population commutes south of the border to work in the Boston tech or biotech hubs while taking advantage of the New Hampshire lifestyle. If you can snag a remote job with a Boston salary while living in Salem, NH, you’ve basically won the game.
Winter: A Tale of Two Snowblowers
Look, both places are cold.
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But Albany gets that "gray" cold. Because it’s in a river valley, the clouds tend to park themselves over the city from November until April. It’s damp. It’s slushy.
New Hampshire gets the "deep" cold. You’ll see more blue skies, but you’ll also see temperatures that make your nostrils stick together when you breathe. If you aren't into skiing, snowboarding, or at least snowshoeing, New Hampshire winters will feel like a prison sentence. In Albany, there’s enough indoor culture—museums, theaters, and a massive mall—to keep you from losing your mind.
Which One Actually Wins?
There is no "better" here, just "better for you."
Choose Albany if: * You want a lower entry price for a home.
- You like having a "real" city feel with walkable bars and restaurants.
- You value being a train ride away from Manhattan.
Choose New Hampshire if: * You have a high income and want to shield it from state taxes.
- You want to be closer to the mountains and the ocean.
- You prefer "town meeting" style local government over big-city politics.
Your Next Steps
Before you pack the U-Haul, do two things. First, look up the specific property tax rate for a town you like in New Hampshire—don’t just assume it’s cheap because of the "no income tax" rule. Second, spend a weekend in Albany’s Center Square during the "off-season" (like March). If you can handle the grayest version of Albany and still like the vibe, you’ll love it the rest of the year.
Check the local 2026 school district rankings for the Capital Region versus Hillsborough County. Schools are the biggest driver of property value in both areas, and a "cheap" house in a bad district will cost you more in the long run. Get your pre-approval letter ready now; even with the 2026 market stabilizing, the good spots in both New York and New Hampshire still go in a weekend.