Nashua

Nashua is the second-largest city in New Hampshire and the only city in America to be named "Best Place to Live" by Money Magazine twice — first in 1987, then again in 1997. Known as the Gate City for its historic role as a gateway into the Granite State, Nashua sits at the confluence of the Nashua and Merrimack Rivers, just minutes from the Massachusetts border, making it a popular base for commuters working in the Boston tech corridor. The city offers plenty of outdoor recreation beyond Mine Falls Park's 325-acre urban green space. Greeley Park provides riverside trails and picnic areas along the Nashua River, while Roby Park on Spit Brook Road serves neighborhood families with ball fields and playground equipment. For fishing and water activities, Lovewell Pond near the Massachusetts line offers bass and pickerel fishing with public access. Downtown Main Street has seen steady reinvestment, with local restaurants and a growing brewery scene that includes spots like Spyglass Brewing Company, Lost Cowboy Brewing Company, and Liquid Therapy Brewery & Grill. The performing arts scene centers around the Nashua Center for the Arts, and you can catch a movie and dinner at Chunky's Cinema Pub. The school system is solid, housing costs remain well below Boston-area prices, and the lack of state income or sales tax keeps more money in residents' pockets.