Compare towns
Mason vs Lee vs Bow
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 affordable homes ($384k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Bow has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.4%).
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 | Lee | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,451Lowest |
4,576 |
8,335Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.8% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43.7±2.3Highest about the NH average |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
41.5±2Lowest 4% below NH |
| Mason and Lee 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% |
21.9%±5.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 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+ | 15.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Lee and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,090±$3kLowest 12% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $384,000±$21kLowest 5% below NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$506,500±$34kHighest 26% above NH |
| Bow and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
— | $1,539±$178Lowest 3% above NH |
| Mason and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,049Lowest 6% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Mason and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
87.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1985Lowest 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 41 minHighest 53% above NH |
28 min about the NH average |
27 minLowest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 20.7%±4.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | — | #3 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mason School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.