Compare towns
Mason vs Amherst vs Webster
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mason has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Webster has the most affordable homes ($339k 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 | Mason | Amherst | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,451Lowest |
11,861Highest |
2,227 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.2%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Lowest about the NH average |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
44.7±7.6 3% above NH |
| Amherst and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.6%±8 NH: 18.2% |
| Mason and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.4%±1.3 NH: 20.1% |
| Amherst and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.5% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
30.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
3%±1.4 NH: 6% |
| Amherst and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,090±$3k 12% above NH |
$153,196±$10kHighest 55% above NH |
$107,171±$14kLowest 8% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $384,000±$21k 5% below NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$338,500±$30kLowest 16% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
$1,462±$256 about the NH average |
$1,396±$622Lowest 6% below NH |
| Mason and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,049 6% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$6,021Lowest 10% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
53.6%±71 NH: 48.2% |
| Mason and Webster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
9.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
96%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 53% above NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
31 minLowest 14% above NH |
| Work from home | 20.7%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
17.1%±3.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #20 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mason School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Merrimack Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.