Compare towns
Brookline vs Henniker 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
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Henniker has grown the fastest since 2010 (+27.9%).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Mason has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Henniker is a college town. 27% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Brookline | Henniker | Lee | Mason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
6,197Highest |
4,576 |
1,451Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% NH: +4.6% |
+27.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
31.1±6.1Lowest 28% 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 | 26.7%±4 NH: 18.2% |
15.3%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Mason and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±6 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
41.4% NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
39.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
27%±6.5Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$95,206±$21kLowest 4% below NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$111,090±$3k 12% above NH |
| Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$356,700±$49kLowest 11% below NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$384,000±$21k 5% below NH |
| Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1k 68% above NH |
$1,081±$164Lowest 27% below NH |
— | $2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
| Mason and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,877 33% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$7,049Lowest 6% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
43.5%±22.6 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Mason and Henniker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
11.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% NH: 72.8% |
64.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
90.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above NH |
20 minLowest 24% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
41 minHighest 53% above NH |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
15.5%±5.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
20.7%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #56 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Brookline School District | Henniker School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Mason School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.