Compare towns
Litchfield vs Bow 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
Litchfield has the most renters (13.3% rent).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
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 | Litchfield | Bow | Mason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,499Highest |
8,335 |
1,451Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43.1±1.7 about the NH average |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
43.7±2.3Highest about the NH average |
| Mason and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±3.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 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+ | 14.9%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Bow and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 46.7% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.6 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $162,036±$11k 64% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
$111,090±$3kLowest 12% above NH |
| Bow and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,000±$18k 20% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
$384,000±$21kLowest 5% below NH |
| Bow and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,138±$406 43% above NH |
$1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
| Mason and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,273 24% above NH |
$9,584Highest 44% above NH |
$7,049Lowest 6% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 81.5%±38.3 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Mason and Litchfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
90.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above NH |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
41 minHighest 53% above NH |
| Work from home | 21%±5.1 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
20.7%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bow and Litchfield 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 | #53 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Litchfield School District | Bow School District | Mason School District |
| High school in town | Campbell High School | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
12.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.