The Complete List of New Hampshire – Massachusetts Bordering Towns

The border between New Hampshire and Massachusetts is more than just a line on a map; it’s a dynamic region where two distinct New England cultures blend. For residents, these towns often offer a unique blend of tax advantages, scenic beauty, and access to both states’ economies, creating a vibrant corridor that many call home.

Understanding the specific communities that straddle this important boundary can be incredibly useful, whether you’re considering a move, exploring regional history, or simply curious about local geography. There are 34 New Hampshire – Massachusetts Bordering Towns, a comprehensive list that spans from the coastal charm of Amesbury all the way to the western reaches near Winchester. For each entry, you’ll find below key details including its State, County, and estimated Population (2023 est.), making it easy to grasp their unique profiles.

Why are the New Hampshire – Massachusetts border towns unique?

These towns often represent a fascinating blend of both states’ characteristics. Residents might benefit from Massachusetts’ robust job market while enjoying New Hampshire’s lack of sales or income tax, creating a distinct economic and cultural environment. The proximity fosters shared community events, business interactions, and a unique regional identity that sometimes feels neither fully ‘Mass’ nor fully ‘NH,’ but a hybrid of both.

New Hampshire – Massachusetts Bordering Towns

Images and Descriptions

Amesbury

A historic mill city on the Powwow and Merrimack Rivers that borders South Hampton, NH. Its vibrant downtown and location offer easy access to New Hampshire’s seacoast, making it a popular residential and recreational hub for cross-border life.

Ashburnham

A hilly, rural town bordering Rindge, NH, and home to Cushing Academy. The northern border with New Hampshire is forested and remote, characterized by lakes and state parks, offering a tranquil New England setting for residents of both states.

Ashby

A small, rural town at the meeting point of two counties that borders New Ipswich, NH. It is known for its quiet character and state forests, with the border area consisting of largely undeveloped woodlands shared with its northern neighbor.

Atkinson

A quiet, primarily residential town bordering Haverhill, MA. It serves as an affluent bedroom community for those working in Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, enjoying easy access to I-495 and a blend of suburban peace and convenience.

Brookline

A picturesque New England town bordering Townsend and Pepperell, MA. Centered around Lake Potanipo, its location offers a peaceful, rural lifestyle while being part of the greater Nashua metropolitan area with strong ties to Massachusetts.

Dracut

A large suburban town in the Greater Lowell area bordering Pelham, NH. Its northern border features a mix of residential neighborhoods and extensive conservation land, providing a natural buffer and recreational space between developed areas in both states.

Dunstable

A staunchly rural town that actively preserves its open space and borders Nashua, NH. It provides a sharp contrast to its bustling northern neighbor, showcasing a quiet, pastoral side of the state line with a focus on agriculture.

Fitzwilliam

A quintessential Monadnock Region town bordering Winchendon and Royalston, MA. It features a historic common and Rhododendron State Park, and its border is characterized by rolling hills and forests, defining a very rural, quiet landscape.

Haverhill

A historic industrial city on the Merrimack River bordering Plaistow and Atkinson, NH. Its northern neighborhoods directly abut New Hampshire, creating a closely linked community with frequent cross-border traffic for both work and retail.

Hinsdale

New Hampshire’s westernmost border town, abutting Northfield, MA. The state line here is defined by the Connecticut River, giving the town a distinct geographical identity shaped by its shared river valley and historical manufacturing past.

Hollis

Known for its beautiful apple orchards and farms, Hollis borders Pepperell, MA. It maintains a strong agricultural character while being an affluent community with strong economic ties to the high-tech corridor along the Massachusetts border.

Hudson

Situated across the Merrimack River from Nashua, this bustling suburban town borders Tyngsborough, MA. Its southern edge provides direct highway access to Massachusetts, making it a popular residential area for commuters seeking New Hampshire’s tax advantages.

Mason

A small, deeply rural town known for its historic stone arch bridges that borders Townsend, MA. The border runs through dense forests and conservation land, appealing to those seeking a quiet, secluded lifestyle in a natural setting.

Merrimac

A small, pleasant town bordering Newton and South Hampton, NH. Historically known for its carriage-making industry, it now serves as a quiet residential community with easy access to major highways connecting it to the wider bi-state region.

Methuen

A large city bordering Salem and Pelham, NH, acting as a major gateway to New Hampshire’s retail centers. The border crossing on Route 28 is one of the busiest, fueled by Massachusetts residents seeking tax-free shopping opportunities.

Nashua

One of New Hampshire’s largest cities, bordering Tyngsborough, Dunstable, and Pepperell, MA. Its border location is pivotal, driving cross-state commerce and creating a large, integrated metropolitan area that spans the state line.

New Ipswich

A quiet, rural town in the Monadnock Region bordering Ashby, MA. The town’s southern border is forested and sparsely populated, reflecting the tranquil character of this part of the state line, and is home to several private schools.

Newton

A peaceful town bordering Merrimac, MA, and characterized by its many ponds. Its proximity to I-495 in Massachusetts makes it a convenient bedroom community for commuters, blending a lakeside lifestyle with easy cross-border travel.

Northfield

The westernmost Massachusetts town on the border, abutting Hinsdale and Winchester, NH. Situated along the scenic Connecticut River, its border is defined by the river and forested hills, sharing a rural, agricultural character with its neighbors.

Pelham

A large suburban community bordering Dracut and Methuen, MA. It has grown significantly due to its location, offering a mix of residential living and open space with strong connections to the neighboring cities of Lowell and Lawrence.

Pepperell

A historic town on the Nashua River bordering Hollis and Brookline, NH. Once known for its paper mills, it maintains a semi-rural feel with a classic New England town center, sharing a border defined by the river and rolling terrain.

Plaistow

A major retail corridor along Route 125 bordering Haverhill, MA. The town is famous for attracting Massachusetts shoppers with its tax-free status, blending a busy commercial strip with quieter residential areas right at the border.

Richmond

A very rural and sparsely populated town bordering Royalston and Warwick, MA. The border area is dominated by forests and the Tully Lake recreation area, offering a remote and natural setting shared with its Massachusetts counterparts.

Rindge

Known as the “Town of Many Lakes” and home to Franklin Pierce University, Rindge borders Ashburnham and Winchendon, MA. Its location makes it a gateway to the Monadnock Region for visitors from Massachusetts, with a landscape dotted by water and woods.

Royalston

One of the most sparsely populated towns in Massachusetts, bordering Richmond and Fitzwilliam, NH. Its northern border with New Hampshire is almost entirely wilderness, featuring waterfalls and extensive forests appealing to hikers and nature lovers.

Salem

A dominant commercial hub bordering Methuen, MA, famous for its massive retail development along Route 28 and I-93. It directly serves the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts, with an economy heavily influenced by New Hampshire’s lack of sales tax.

Salisbury

The northeastern-most town in Massachusetts, bordering Seabrook, NH on the Atlantic coast. Famous for Salisbury Beach, it shares a coastal ecosystem, tourism economy, and the Route 1A corridor with its New Hampshire neighbor.

Seabrook

New Hampshire’s coastal border town, sharing a line with Salisbury, MA. It’s known for its salt marshes, beach access, and the Seabrook Station Nuclear Power Plant, sharing a coastal identity and tourism draw with its Massachusetts neighbor.

South Hampton

One of the smallest towns on the border, this quaint, rural community abuts Amesbury and Merrimac, MA. It represents a quiet, agricultural stretch of the state line that contrasts with the busier commercial areas found elsewhere along the border.

Townsend

A large town by area bordering Mason and Brookline, NH, with much of it covered by Townsend State Forest. Its northern border is rural and wooded, offering recreational opportunities that are easily accessible to residents of both states.

Tyngsborough

Bisected by the Merrimack River, this town borders Hudson and Nashua, NH. It serves as a key suburban link between the Lowell area in Massachusetts and the Greater Nashua region, with significant daily cross-border commuter traffic.

Warwick

A tiny, elevated town with a focus on conservation, bordering Winchester and Richmond, NH. Its border with New Hampshire is rugged, remote, and heavily forested, representing the quiet, natural highlands of central New England.

Winchester

Located in the Ashuelot River valley, Winchester borders Northfield and Warwick, MA. With a historic downtown and a legacy of manufacturing, its border is rural, following the river and forested hills of the western part of the state.

Winchendon

Known as “Toy Town USA” and bordering Fitzwilliam and Rindge, NH. It serves as a commercial center for the surrounding rural area of both states, with Lake Dennison State Recreation Area located right on the shared border.