Compare towns
Bow vs Lee vs Mason
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Mason has the most affordable homes ($384k median).
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 | Bow | Lee | Mason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,335Highest |
4,576 |
1,451Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
43.7±2.3Highest about the NH average |
| Mason and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Mason and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
39.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$111,090±$3kLowest 12% above NH |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$384,000±$21kLowest 5% below NH |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
— | $2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
| Mason and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,584 44% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$7,049Lowest 6% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Mason and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
90.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minLowest about the NH average |
28 min about the NH average |
41 minHighest 53% above NH |
| Work from home | 22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
20.7%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Bow 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 | #26 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Bow School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Mason School District |
| High school in town | Bow High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.