What stands out worked out from the figures below

Walpole has the shortest commute (23 min average).

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.

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

Measure	Walpole	Mason
People
Population	3,690Highest	1,451Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+4.8%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	46.5±10.4Highest 7% above NH	43.7±2.3Lowest about the NH average
	Walpole and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.2%±5.2Lowest NH: 18.2%	28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2%
	Mason and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.5%±5.4Highest NH: 20.1%	15.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	32.9%Lowest NH: 40.6%	39.5%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4%±2.8Highest NH: 6%	1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Walpole and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$82,617±$16kLowest 17% below NH	$111,090±$3kHighest 12% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$319,800±$48kLowest 21% below NH	$384,000±$21kHighest 5% below NH
	Mason and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,165±$150Lowest 22% below NH	$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,078Lowest 9% below NH	$7,049Highest 6% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.6%±21.9Lowest NH: 48.2%	87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2%
	Mason and Walpole are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.7%Highest NH: 7.2%	4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.9%Lowest NH: 72.8%	90.7%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 12 yrs older than NH	1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minLowest 13% below NH	41 minHighest 53% above NH
Work from home	7.2%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8%	20.7%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#27 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Fall Mountain Regional 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.