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Hope this question fits this forum. If not, please let me know. Thank you.

I always hear stories about living in New Hampshire (NH) but work at Boston. People use the longer commute time in exchange of NH's cheaper living and taxes. However, I am wondering if something similar can be done in Vermont (VT).

I co-own a pharm-consulting business, and majority of our work can be done remotely. However, networking is still essential, so I likely will need to travel to big cities like Boston, New York City, San Francisco frequently (2-3 times per month if not busy, 5-6 if busy).

Do you think this is something feasible time-wise and finance-wise? In particular, I would love to learn from those who have similar experience, and those who are familiar with Vermont's weather/travel situations (e.g. in winter). The reason to choose VT is because my husband found a job he likes there, and that we both love countryside living experiences.

Thank you!

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  • Have you checked the prices for train tickets for the destinations you want, plane tickets? etc Or drive and stay overnight.... This will probably end up being closed as it is personal and relevant to few... – Solar Mike Feb 19 '19 at 14:45
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    And have a talk with your CPA. Note that living in NH and working in Boston is quite a different tax situation from living and working in VT and traveling on business to other destinations. Also, consider the drive to Boston (or New York) in winter, and the need to do it (no big airports in VT) to get to San Francisco. – Jon Custer Feb 19 '19 at 14:53
  • Hi DVA. This is fairly personal and answers would be opinion-based, because categorically it IS physically possible to do what you're asking. I'm wondering if travel.SE would help a bit more? – Mikey Feb 19 '19 at 21:46
  • That commute gets old, quickly. If it's only a few times a month, you may be fine with it, but weather in VT / Western NH can be a real problem as you already know... Sometimes there's only 2 or 3 plows covering a 50 mile stretch of highway. Roads get closed due to accidents, etc. Even when it's clear, it's a long, tiring ride. Financially, if you're mostly remote, it makes a lot of sense. Property is cheap out this way (relatively speaking). Best of luck! – silencedmessage Feb 20 '19 at 15:00
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It would depend on where in Vermont you live.

With major highways, the further south you are, the better off you are. The minimum travel time I could see from the southern part of the state is 2 hours to Boston and 5 to NYC; further north, I would tack on another 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

Flights: If you're going to the Bay Area, if you want a direct flight, you could drive to Boston's Logan Airport or to New York's JFK or Laguardia; The regionals also offer flights, but you would have to make connections to other airports.

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  • The last paragraph is not accurate. There are regular flights from BVT and MHT to SFO (albeit mostly not direct, though some are). Which of the three departure points (BVT, MHT, BOS) is best depends on where the querent actually ends up living within Vermont. – T.J.L. Feb 19 '19 at 15:39
  • San Jose airport would be better, if you can find a flight from BVT or MHT (didn't check). SJC is all of like 5 minutes from SFO, but much less crowded. – Draco18s no longer trusts SE Feb 19 '19 at 16:19
  • Thanks! I've updated my post to reflect this - I don't fly very often! – bjcolby15 Feb 19 '19 at 16:21
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That's something only you can say because it depends mostly on how much money and time are you willing to pay to keep living in Vermont and traveling so much.

Start looking for prices and have a budget for best/worst case and see if you can afford, and if you can, if you want to afford it. After thinking about the money, start thinking how much time you will be far from your home and how much of that time will be spent in travelling itself. Does it worth it? Nobody can say that, only you with your husband.

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Do you think this is something feasible time-wise and finance-wise?

Lots of people work in jobs where they travel frequently. So it's certainly feasible.

The viability of the time commitment and financial viability depend solely on your specific location, your personal time requirements and the company's financial situation.

If you are willing to travel and stay away from home for days at a time, it's certainly feasible. You might wish to make sure you are near a good Vermont airport with airlines having connections to the cities you'd plan to visit.

Note that if you work in Massachusetts, but live in Vermont, you will still pay Massachusetts income tax. I believe Vermont will also charge some income taxes, but you'll get at least a partial credit for the MA income taxes you pay.

So, don't do this for any expected tax benefits.

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