Compare towns
Barnstead vs Mason vs Alton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barnstead has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Mason has the most people working from home (20.7%).
Alton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.3%).
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 | Barnstead | Mason | Alton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,994 |
1,451Lowest |
5,994Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% NH: +4.6% |
+4.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±3.1Lowest about the NH average |
43.7±2.3 about the NH average |
53.7±3.2Highest 24% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±5 NH: 18.2% |
28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.4%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Mason and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±4.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
25.1%±4.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Alton and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
39.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
35.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.9Highest NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.1 NH: 6% |
0.8%±0.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,660±$12k 13% above NH |
$111,090±$3kLowest 12% above NH |
$113,715±$19kHighest 15% above NH |
| Alton and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,400±$25kLowest 10% below NH |
$384,000±$21k 5% below NH |
$430,400±$37kHighest 7% above NH |
| Alton and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$75Lowest 6% below NH |
$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,003 10% below NH |
$7,049Highest 6% above NH |
$4,183Lowest 37% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.6%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.7%±27.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Mason and Barnstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6% NH: 72.8% |
90.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 16% above NH |
41 minHighest 53% above NH |
33 min 24% above NH |
| Work from home | 13%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
20.7%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.1%±5.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Mason and Alton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #111 of 120 in NH | — | #72 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Barnstead School District | Mason School District | Prospect Mountain JMA School District · Alton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Prospect Mountain High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.