Compare towns
Temple vs Lyndeborough 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
Temple has the most renters (17.8% rent).
Lyndeborough has the highest household income ($117k).
Mason has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Temple | Lyndeborough | Mason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,363Lowest |
1,616Highest |
1,451 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.2% NH: +4.6% |
+1.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 49.5±7.3 14% above NH |
50±3.2Highest 15% above NH |
43.7±2.3Lowest about the NH average |
| Lyndeborough and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.3%±3.5Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.9%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±1.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
40.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Highest NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Lyndeborough and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,107±$15kLowest 5% below NH |
$116,964±$17kHighest 18% above NH |
$111,090±$3k 12% above NH |
| Lyndeborough and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $401,000±$27kHighest about the NH average |
$390,900±$26k about the NH average |
$384,000±$21kLowest 5% below NH |
| Temple and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,169±$523Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,482±$457 about the NH average |
$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
| Mason and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,983Lowest 5% above NH |
$7,133Highest 7% above NH |
$7,049 6% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.2%±54.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±90 NH: 48.2% |
87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Mason and Lyndeborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
92.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
90.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1981Lowest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minLowest 37% above NH |
39 min 46% above NH |
41 minHighest 53% above NH |
| Work from home | 16.9%±5.6 NH: 16.8% |
16.7%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
20.7%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Mason and Temple are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Contoocook Valley School District | Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District | Mason School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.