Compare towns
New Ipswich vs Mason vs Northwood
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Ipswich has the youngest population (median age 36.9).
Mason has the most people working from home (20.7%).
Northwood 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 | New Ipswich | Mason | Northwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,310Highest |
1,451Lowest |
4,688 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.8% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±2.4Lowest 15% below NH |
43.7±2.3Highest about the NH average |
42.4±7.8 about the NH average |
| Mason and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 29.9%±5.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
28.8%±6.3 NH: 18.2% |
18%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| New Ipswich and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12.3%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
21.5%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Northwood and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
39.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
38.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.4 NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Highest NH: 6% |
| Northwood and New Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,507±$9kLowest 12% above NH |
$111,090±$3k 12% above NH |
$129,375±$23kHighest 31% above NH |
| Northwood and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $392,400±$31kHighest about the NH average |
$384,000±$21k 5% below NH |
$363,000±$13kLowest 10% below NH |
| New Ipswich and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $882±$469Lowest 41% below NH |
$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
$1,201±$372 19% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,647Lowest 15% below NH |
$7,049Highest 6% above NH |
$5,806 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.7%±41.5 NH: 48.2% |
87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.7%±29.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Mason and New Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
7.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
89% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 22% above NH |
41 minHighest 53% above NH |
37 min 37% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
20.7%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Mason and Northwood 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 | #82 of 120 in NH | — | #24 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mascenic Regional School District | Mason School District | Northwood School District · Coe-Brown Northwood Academy School District |
| High school in town | Mascenic Regional High School | None in town | Coe-Brown Northwood Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Highest |
— | 11.5Lowest |
| 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.