What stands out worked out from the figures below

Stoddard has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.5%).

Mason has the most people working from home (20.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Stoddard	Mason
People
Population	1,072Lowest	1,451Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.5%Highest NH: +4.6%	+4.8%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	53±4Highest 22% above NH	43.7±2.3Lowest about the NH average
Kids under 18	17.5%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2%	28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	24.4%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1%	15.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	34.1%Lowest NH: 40.6%	39.5%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±1.7Highest NH: 6%	1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Stoddard and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,904±$11kLowest 4% below NH	$111,090±$3kHighest 12% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$330,300±$20kLowest 18% below NH	$384,000±$21kHighest 5% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$895±$751Lowest 40% below NH	$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,316Lowest 35% below NH	$7,049Highest 6% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.6%±100Lowest NH: 48.2%	87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2%
	Mason and Stoddard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Highest NH: 7.2%	4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	93.3%Highest NH: 72.8%	90.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH	1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minLowest 25% above NH	41 minHighest 53% above NH
Work from home	9.5%±4Lowest NH: 16.8%	20.7%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
School district	Stoddard School District	Mason School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.