New Hampshire, a New England state home to just over 1.3 million residents, has approximately 24,000 people living with Alzheimer's disease. In Merrimack County, located in the south-central portion of the state, which includes the state capital of Concord, there are approximately 151,132 residents, 17.8 percent of whom are age 65 or over, which works out to be about 26,901 residents. In Merrimack County, there are two memory care facilities for residents with Alzheimer's or dementia, one located in Warner and the other in Concord.
In Merrimack County as in the rest of the state, assisted living residences, or ALRs, have implemented special provisions that provide specialized memory care services for its residents. For example, ALRs with fewer than 16 residents are required to have a wandering prevention system if staff do not work overnight shifts.
- For most of the year, the climate in Merrimack County is relatively pleasant, especially during the spring, summer and fall. The average high in July is 80 degrees. Winters can be challenging in Merrimack County, however: The area receives an average of 66 inches of snow per year and the average low in January is 10.
- Seniors can feel safe living in Merrimack County, as crime levels are quite low. On a scale of 1 (low crime) to 100 (high crime), violent crime in Merrimack County is 9.1 and property crime sits at 19.4. Both of these figures are below state and national averages.
- Living in Merrimack County is relatively affordable, as the cost of living at 107.9 is below the state average of 114. The cost of living scale is based on a national average of 100, and takes into account costs such as utilities, housing and groceries.
- The tax benefits alone are a great reason to live in Merrimack County, as New Hampshire does not have income tax nor sales tax. As a result, the state is considered extremely tax-friendly for seniors, as the state does not tax Social Security, pension income or withdrawals from retirement accounts.
Note: Data on this page was updated in 2019 and based on the latest 2018 figures.