Compare towns
Durham vs Townsend 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
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Townsend has the highest household income ($122k).
Mason has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% 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 | Durham | Townsend | Mason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,681Highest |
9,100 |
1,451Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3Highest 12% above U.S. |
| Mason and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
28.8%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Mason and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.6%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Townsend and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $112,070±$25k 39% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
$111,090±$3kLowest 38% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$384,000±$21kLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Durham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,302±$211Lowest 8% below U.S. |
$1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$2,530±$852Highest 79% above U.S. |
| Mason and Townsend 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. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$7,049 126% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.4%±19.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
87.2%±42.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mason and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
37 min 41% above U.S. |
41 minHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.7%±4.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mason and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #136 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | Mason School District |
| High school in town | — | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 13.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.