Granite State vs. Bay State

Here's a quick (yet a tad lengthy) comparison of The People's Republic of Massachusetts and the "Live Free or Die" state of New Hampshire. You tell me, which would you prefer?

STATE TAXATION

State Individual Income Taxes (2004)

MA = 5.3%
NH = State Income Tax is Limited to Dividends and Interest Income Only

State Sales Tax Rates - January 1, 2004

MA = 5.0%
NH = none

Motor Fuel Excise Tax Rates

MA = 21.0%
NH = 19.5%

State Excise Tax Rates on Cigarettes

NH = $0.52/pack
MA = $1.51/pack

State Tax Rates on Other Tobacco Products

MA = 90% Wholesale Price on Smokeless Tobacco (30% Wholesale Price on cigars)
NH = 19% Wholesale Price

State Liquor Excise Tax Rates

MA = $4.05/gallon (under 15% alc. - $1.10/gallon)
NH is one of 18 states in which the government directly controls the sales of distilled spirits. Revenue in these states is generated from various taxes, fees and net liquor profits.

State Wine Excise Tax Rates

MA = $0.55/gallon (sparkling wine = $0.70/gallon)
NH - All wine sales are through state stores. Revenue in these states is generated from various taxes, fees and net profits

Note: I don't have the numbers for the taxes levied on liquor and wine sales in New Hampshire, but there's a reason why there are massive liquor stores just over the border from Massachusetts. If you can't figure that one out, then I'm surprised you have the brains to be able to read this in the first place.

State Beer Excise Tax Rates

MA $0.11/gallon
NH $0.30/gallon (Yikes, a HIGHER tax than Massachusetts!)

2003 State Tax Revenue

Per capita:
MA $2,427 (rank #7)
NH $1,521 (rank #44)

As a percent of personal income:
MA 6.2% (rank #29)
NH 4.5 (rank #49)

INCOME vs. HOUSING COSTS

I'll look up some more current numbers for this, but here's where things stood as of 2000:

"At first glance it might appear as if high housing prices go with high incomes, and states with high incomes will have high housing prices and vice-versa. Yet, when we look at the incomes and housing prices in each of the fifty states, we see that is not always the case. Some states have high incomes, but comparatively low housing costs and, as a consequence, are more affordable places to buy homes. Consider that Massachusetts has the 7th highest income, and it ranks as the state with the 3rd highest housing burden. (A rank of 1st indicates the least affordable state or the state with the greatest housing burden, and a rank of 50th indicates the most affordable state.) New Hampshire has the 6th highest income, but it ranks as the state with the 26th highest housing burden."

From the US Census Bureau:

New Hampshire

Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000 $133,300
Median household income, 1999 $49,467

Massachusetts

Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000 $185,700
Median household income, 1999 $50,502

Median income in MA was 2% higher than in NH, but the median housing value was 39% higher.

UNEMPLOYMENT

Unemployment Rates by State (May 2004)

MA 5.2%
NH 4.0%

CRIME and CRIME PREVENTION

Violent Crime Rates by State (2001)

MA = 479.5 per 100,000 (rank #21)
NH = 170.3 per 100,000 (rank #48)

State Firearm Laws

New Hampshire 2-1/2 pages
Massachusetts 18 pages

EDUCATION

Average SAT I results (2002)

MA = 1028
NH = 1038

Public School Spending Per Pupil, (1999-2000 school year)

MA = $8,444
National Average = $6,835
NH = $6,742

Saved the best for last:

Base Salaries of State Senators (2003):

Massachusetts $50,123
New Hampshire $100 (that's not a typo)

Guess you don't always get what you pay for.