Compare towns
Brookline vs Ripton vs Bow vs Mason
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the most people working from home (24.7%).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Bow has the most renters (12.5% rent).
Mason has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
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 | Ripton | Bow | Mason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
508Lowest |
8,335Highest |
1,451 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Highest 23% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
| Ripton and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4 U.S.: 22% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
28.8%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.6%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4k 112% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15k 40% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$111,090±$3kLowest 38% above U.S. |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61k 19% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$384,000±$21kLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1k 77% above U.S. |
— | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
$2,530±$852Highest 79% above U.S. |
| 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 221% above U.S. |
$4,915Lowest 58% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$7,049 126% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
87.2%±42.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mason and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
41 minHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.7%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | — | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Brookline School District | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Bow School District | Mason School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.