Claremont was where the 2006 film Live Free or Die was filmed. Written by a couple of the guys who wrote Seinfeld, and starring Zooey Deschanel and Aaron Stanford, the film follows the life of a criminal in the fictional town of Rutland, New Hampshire, as he tries to make it to the big time. Well, we all have to have our own ambitions!
Claremont itself is in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, and is home to 13,355 people according to the latest census in 2010
Claremont was where the 2006 film Live Free or Die was filmed. Written by a couple of the guys who wrote Seinfeld, and starring Zooey Deschanel and Aaron Stanford, the film follows the life of a criminal in the fictional town of Rutland, New Hampshire, as he tries to make it to the big time. Well, we all have to have our own ambitions!
Claremont itself is in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, and is home to 13,355 people according to the latest census in 2010. There aren't too many major urban centers nearby, with Manchester, the largest city in the state, about 50 miles to the southeast. Go a little further (well, about double the distance) in the same direction and you'll hit Boston on the Atlantic coast. Claremont is surrounded by beautiful forests and national parks, the most prominent being Green Mountain National Forest to the southwest and White Mountain National Forest to the north east. Both are within 20 or so miles of the city, while there are smaller forests even closer. Along the western boundary of the city is the Connecticut River, while Sugar River cuts through the city from east to west before linking up with the Connecticut. All this allows for a great deal of outdoor fun for the local people and anyone passing through the region.
When deciding to move to Claremont there are a whole load of things that you need to consider. Here are a few of the most important.
Do You Want an Apartment or a House?
About half of the properties in Claremont are single family detached houses, generally with three or more bedrooms. This is great if you're looking for rental houses. However, you'll fare just as well if you're keen on an apartment, because apartment blocks and high rises account for over 30 percent of the market share, which is unusually high for a small city. One bedrooms apartment are common, and so are 2 bedroom apartments if you're moving in with someone or just want a spare room for when family or friends come to stay.
What about Vacancy Rates?
Available apartments tend to be about average for the country, which isn't good or bad news, really. There are usually plenty of properties in Claremont available, so it should be simple enough to find somewhere suitable. There aren't any massive cities nearby, so you're not going to find a bunch of city boys sneaking onto your territory to find cheaper rental places within commuting distance from their work place. Although, it won't hurt to have a good credit rating and some decent references either. Oh, and make sure you've got a deposit to hand over to secure a property once you've found something you like. That one's kinda important!
OK, so what's the first thing you do when you start thinking about moving to a new town or city? Well, you start combing the area to find the best neighborhood for your needs. If you commute out of town for work, maybe you want to live near the best transport links? Claremont isn't exactly flush with neighborhoods -- there are only three, in fact -- but it's worth checking them out anyway.
City Center: If you're renting an apartment in Claremont, this is probably where you'll start looking, as there are loads of apartment buildings here. Washington Street runs along the line of the Sugar River, and you'll find loads of amenities here, including a Wal-Mart supercenter, Claremont Marketplace and cinema, a few fast food chain restaurants, and a couple of independent ones as well. Ramunto's Brick Oven Pizza is definitely worth a visit for pizza lovers!
Puckershire: Comprises the southeast corner of the city and stretches out to the south where there's a load of woodland and the odd mansion dotted around the area. Pizza lovers rejoice once more -- Tremont House of Pizza is here! Monadnock Park is great for sports fans, with tennis, baseball, and football grounds. This is a great area for nature lovers.
Claremont Junction: The Connecticut River runs along the western boundary of the neighborhood, which is also home to Claremont Municipal Airport and Claremont Country Club is you fancy nine holes of pure bliss -- yes, unfortunately it's only a nine-hole course but that's better than none!
So, what's life like in Claremont? Well, it's pretty outdoorsy to say the least. If you like to run, hike, bike, swim, fish, boat, ski, or do just about anything on the water, snow, and soft earth, you'll fit in like a hand in a glove. There's so much to do in the area, both during summer and winter, for the outdoor loving folk, so you're going to get just about as opposite a life as you can imagine from the big city living you may or may not be used to. Other than Monadnock Park, there's Moody Park and Barnes Park in the city.
Of course, the city itself isn't tiny and insignificant here, and plays a big part in people's lives. In particular here is the historic downtown area, with its beautiful old architecture, cute little storefronts, and great selection of restaurants and bars. Some of the best include Common Man Restaurant, Crown Garden, Pleasant Street Restaurant, and New Social Bar and Grill. Certainly there are plenty of options for the foodies. For some nightlife, head over to Time-Out Sports Bar & Grill and nearby Salt Hill Pub.
There are great nature trails through the region as well, but you don't have to be confined to the city to enjoy the wonders all around it. The national forests of Green Mountain and White Mountain are nearby, while you're not too far from the Atlantic coastline and the great city of Boston to the southeast.
If you are trying to zip out of the city on a work or social errand, Interstate 91 is only five minutes west of the city center, while Interstate 89 is about 25 minutes to the east. There are a bunch of state routes cutting through town and nearby as well, while there's also a daily Amtrak service between Washington, D.C. and Vermont. All in all, getting from A to B in Claremont is really simple, although in most cases a car will come in handy!
