Compare towns
Durham vs Mason vs Nelson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Mason has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Mason | Nelson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
1,451 |
648Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.8% NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
43.7±2.3Highest about the NH average |
42.3±11.7 about the NH average |
| Mason and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
27.5%±6.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Mason and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
61.1% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.1 NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21kHighest 25% above NH |
$111,090±$3k 12% above NH |
$99,792±$23kLowest about the NH average |
| Durham and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41kHighest 25% above NH |
$384,000±$21k 5% below NH |
$340,900±$49kLowest 15% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 4% below NH |
$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
$1,203±$243Lowest 19% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,049 6% above NH |
$5,575Lowest 16% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16 NH: 48.2% |
87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Mason and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
90.2% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below NH |
41 minHighest 53% above NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
20.7%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Nelson and Mason 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 | — | — |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Mason School District | Nelson School District |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | 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.