Compare towns
Auburn vs Brentwood vs Exeter vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Brentwood has the highest household income ($166k).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Auburn | Brentwood | Exeter | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,119 |
4,641 |
16,151Highest |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
43.8±3.1 about the NH average |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
42.9±1.9Lowest about the NH average |
| Exeter and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.3% NH: 40.6% |
49%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±4.7Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.4Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Auburn and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
$165,509±$23kHighest 67% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
| Brentwood and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $600,300±$29kHighest 49% above NH |
$528,100±$75k 31% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
| Auburn and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,893±$822 27% above NH |
$2,217±$654Highest 49% above NH |
$1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
— |
| Brentwood and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
$9,713Highest 46% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
63.9%±37.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Brentwood and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9% NH: 72.8% |
96%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1995Highest 16 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 26.5%±6.6 NH: 16.8% |
23.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Auburn 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 | #44 of 120 in NH | #16 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Auburn School District | Brentwood School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 6 photos → | 59 photos → | 10 photos → |
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.