Here Are 12 Things People from New Hampshire Do That Seem Insane To Everyone Else

New Hampshire may be small, but it’s packed with quirks that outsiders just can’t wrap their heads around. To Granite Staters, these habits are simply a way of life. To visitors, they can look like a mix of Yankee stubbornness, rugged independence, and maple-syrup-fueled madness.

1. Brag About Having No State Income or Sales Tax

Outsiders think it’s too good to be true. Locals smugly say, “Live Free or Die.”

2. Treat Maple Syrup Like Liquid Gold

Plastic bottles of “pancake syrup” are an insult. If it didn’t come from a tree in New Hampshire, don’t bother.

3. Drive Like Racecar Drivers on Icy Roads

Snowstorm? Blinding ice? Locals keep going 70 mph. Outsiders are terrified.

4. Climb Mountains for Fun (and Bragging Rights)

Hiking all 48 4,000-footers isn’t just exercise—it’s a life goal. Outsiders can’t breathe by mile two.

5. Put Flannel on Year-Round

It’s not just fashion. It’s state armor.

6. Buy Liquor at Highway Rest Stops

Only in New Hampshire can you pull over for gas and leave with a bottle of whiskey. Outsiders are shook.

7. Brag About “Leaf Peeping” Like It’s an Extreme Sport

Outsiders think fall foliage is pretty. Locals treat it like the Super Bowl of nature.

8. Debate the Best Dunkin’ Like It’s Politics

There’s one on nearly every corner, but every local swears theirs is the Dunkin’.

9. Jump Into Icy Lakes for Fun

Polar plunges aren’t charity stunts—they’re just something people do. Outsiders watch in horror.

10. Live by the Motto “Live Free or Die”

It’s not just on the license plate—it’s an actual mindset. Outsiders think it’s dramatic. Locals mean it.

11. Treat Town Meetings Like Reality TV

Annual gatherings where budgets and policies get debated? Outsiders are confused. Locals grab popcorn.

12. Casually Spot Moose Like It’s No Big Deal

A thousand-pound animal in the road? Outsiders panic. Locals just say, “Yup, that’s New Hampshire.”

To outsiders, these New Hampshire habits might seem quirky, reckless, or downright insane. But for locals, they’re part of the charm of living in the Granite State. Stick around long enough and you’ll be hiking mountains in flannel, buying booze at a rest stop, and chanting “Live Free or Die” like you were born here.