Compare towns
Andover vs Mason vs Salisbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Andover has the most renters (11.6% rent).
Mason has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (23.3%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Andover | Mason | Salisbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,135Highest |
1,451Lowest |
1,609 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 46±11.6 6% above NH |
43.7±2.3Lowest about the NH average |
51.5±4.5Highest 19% above NH |
| Salisbury and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.3%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.1%±9.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Mason and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.1%±7.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.9%±4 NH: 20.1% |
| Andover and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
39.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
37.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±2.2Highest NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
2%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Andover and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,514±$27kLowest 11% below NH |
$111,090±$3k 12% above NH |
$111,591±$17kHighest 13% above NH |
| Salisbury and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,500±$44k 9% below NH |
$384,000±$21kHighest 5% below NH |
$363,400±$47kLowest 10% below NH |
| Mason and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,211±$190Lowest 19% below NH |
$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
$1,917±$632 29% above NH |
| Mason and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,962 11% below NH |
$7,049Highest 6% above NH |
$5,859Lowest 12% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.1%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Mason and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
7.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.7% NH: 72.8% |
96.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 28% above NH |
41 minHighest 53% above NH |
32 minLowest 20% above NH |
| Work from home | 11.7%±5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
20.7%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
23.3%±10.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Salisbury and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Andover School District | Mason School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.