Drinking Trough, 1909
Mason’s story
258 years in pictures
Census counts: 922 in 1790, a low of 249 in 1940, 1,448 in 2020. The archive holds 10 old photos and papers going back to 1909 and 4 maps from 1946 on.
- 1768Mason is settled
MasonNH
A town of 1,460, settled in 1768. Public schools that outperform most of New Hampshire.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Craig Michaud at English Wikipedia · CC BY 3.0
Population
1,460
2025 Census estimate · +1.3% since 2020
Typical home
$548K
+1.9% in a year
Household income
$111K
median
Median age
43.7
years
Jobs based here
230
A commuter town
Is Mason a good place to live?
The best of Mason’s subject grades are an A+ for schools, an A for safety, and an A− for incomes; the weakest is a C− for cost of living. Mason’s median rent is $2,530 a month, above both the New Hampshire town median ($1,388 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). Only 13 of New Hampshire’s 187 towns score higher on hazard risk. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 71% of U.S. towns. 19% of the land in Mason is conserved, against 18% in New Hampshire’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Russell-Abbott State Forest, at 436 acres. Mason has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Mason stand out
Where Mason beats most towns.
How Mason grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within New Hampshire), ordered by how far Mason is from typical.
SchoolsA+Open →SafetyAOpen →Jobs & income$111K median household incomeA−Open →Cost of livingC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 27% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6 of 20; 0.6% of households have no car; 1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →HealthSt. Joseph Hospital 13.7 miles awayB+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsA−Open →History3 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life4.5 library visits per resident; 3.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Mason: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Mason, and how to reach them.
PowerEversource24.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGreenville Water DeptNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offBrookline Transfer Station, 4 miOpenStreetMap
Register to voteIn personNew Hampshire has no online registration; you can register in person up to and including Election Day or by mail only in special circumstances (received 13 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTown Clerk of MasonThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP codes03048, 0308603048 95% · 03086 5%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 19, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Mason.
SchoolsA+
Mason’s public schools rank among the best in New Hampshire
Its public schools are run by the Mason School District. Its one school is below.
99%of NH districts it outscoresA+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 106 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NH on state tests
SafetyA
Crime per resident in Mason is lower than in 92% of U.S. towns
The property crime rate in Mason is 3.4 per 1,000 residents.
92%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Mason | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.4 per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.7 per 1,000 residents | 0.7 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Mason0.7
New Hampshire1.2
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Mason3.4
New Hampshire8.3
U.S.15.5
92nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
5
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Mason has 0.3 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Mason for work: only 7% work in town. Mason’s average trip to work is 41 minutes. Jobs based in Mason grew to 230 in 2023, 58 more than in 2013.
7%work in town
| Mason | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 41 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 21% | 16% | 11% |
| Median household income | $111,000 | $103,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 4.7% | 6.8% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Mason7%
Nashua12%
Manchester7%
Milford6%
Merrimack4%
16 mi
median commute distance
230
jobs based in Mason
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 29% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Low risk in Mason, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 73% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Mason since 2011.
27risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanesTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 2011
13
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
More children than New Hampshire overall
Children under 18 are 29% of residents (18% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 13% of residents (21% statewide). 16% of Mason residents are 65 or older. 40% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 41% across New Hampshire.
43.7median age · NH 43.3
| Mason | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 16% | 20% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 40% | 39% | 29% |
| Median age | 43.7 years | 44.8 years | 40.5 years |
MasonNew HampshireUnited States
Ages · share of residents
20%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school31%
Some college16%
Associate’s9%
Bachelor’s23%
Graduate17%
Women and men · all residents
44% women, 56% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±8 points. Across New Hampshire, 50.1% of residents are women.
| Mason | NH | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.4% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 15.4% | 8.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.7% | 8.7% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6.9% | 12.7% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.4% | 12.4% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.7% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19.8% | 15.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11% | 12.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.6% | 7.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.7% | 5.6% | 10.4% |
| High school | 30.7% | 26.8% | 26% |
| Some college | 16.4% | 17.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.6% | 9.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.6% | 24.5% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 16.9% | 16.1% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,500, single groups can be off by several points
19.3%conserved
19.3%
conserved · 2,950 of 15,255 acres
26 mi
of trails · 1.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mason Railroad Trail | 5.3 mi | 84 |
| 2. Nissitissit River Headwaters Preserve | 2.2 mi | 268 |
| 3. Mason Quarry Conservation Area | 1.3 mi | 104 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthB+
Mason is healthier than 68% of U.S. towns
Mason beats the New Hampshire average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7. 33% of adults feel lonely in Mason. Only 2 of the 127 New Hampshire towns we compare have a higher share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Mason.
68%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Mason | New Hampshire towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 30% | 33% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 33% | 36% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 19% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 20% | 25% |
32 measures vs. New Hampshire
0 better25 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Mason | NH |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13.6% | 8.9% |
| More smokers | 13.4% | 10.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.4% | 6.2% |
St. Joseph Hospital
13.7 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Mason has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Mason has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 14° and about 75 inches of snow falls in a winter.
75″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–35°
Spring34–57°
Summer57–80°
Fall39–60°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 10
typical last frost
+1.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade C−
The typical home in Mason is valued at about $548K
The typical Mason home is worth about $548,000, up 1.9% in a year, 7% above the New Hampshire typical home.
$548KZillow home value
Typical home value
Mason$548K
New Hampshire$511K
+1.9%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 221 attractions →Mount Monadnock and 69 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Mason. Close and well known come first.
20 mi MountainMount Monadnock
30 mi LakeWalden Pond
39 mi LakeQuabbin Reservoir
29 mi Ancient siteAmerica's Stonehenge
26 mi Theme parkCanobie Lake Park
27 mi MuseumAmerican Heritage MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Mount Monadnock: Jonwmcinenrey, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Walden Pond: Victorgrigas, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Quabbin Reservoir: engineerchange, CC BY 2.0 · America's Stonehenge: User:Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Canobie Lake Park: Alex1961, CC BY-SA 2.0 · American Heritage Museum: Daderot, CC0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Mason
20pages on Mason
The big questions
SchoolsA+Beat 99% of NH districts · 1 schoolSafetyA0.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB+Better than NH on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC−$548K typical home · up 1.9% in a yearWork & commuteA−$111K median household income · 230 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 27% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of Mason
Fitchburg State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Fitchburg, MA10.8 mi$11,346 in-state tuitionNashua Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Nashua12.1 mi$7,140 in-state tuitionSt Joseph School of NursingCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Nashua13.8 mi$23,438 tuition
About 2 of every 100 Mason residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across New Hampshire.
Small town
1,460 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
GreenvilleBrooklineNew IpswichWiltonMason
Famous people from Mason
3 notable people were born in Mason.
About Mason
Town in New Hampshire, United States
Mason is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,448 at the 2020 census. Mason, together with Wilton, is home to Russell-Abbott State Forest.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1768
- Area
- 24 sq mi
- Elevation
- 745 ft
- Area code
- 602
Questions about Mason
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Mason, NH a good place to live?
Public schools that outperform most of New Hampshire.
Is Mason, NH expensive?
Yes. That is 5.3 years of the area's median household income ($103,545 across the Manchester-Nashua, NH metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
What is Mason, NH known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Edward W. Scripture and Walter A. Wood.