Back from the dead

The largest city in New Hampshire, Manchester was a pioneer in the Industrial Revolution, home to Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, at one time the world's largest textile manufacturer. Other factories in town produced a variety of goods such as cigars, sewing machines, and rifles.

As cheaper foreign goods became more readily available in the `60s and `70s, the city's manufacturing industry declined - replaced by high-tech fields such as telecommunications and software development. Verizon is one of the city's largest employers, but small businesses make their homes here, too. While property taxes are high, there's no income tax and no sales tax; affordable real estate options range from modern lofts to elegant Victorians. Locals enjoy close proximity to ski trails, beaches, and nearby Boston.

NEXT: Durham, N.C.