Compare towns
Bath vs Brookline 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
Bath has the most affordable homes ($234k median).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
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 | Bath | Brookline | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097Lowest |
5,736Highest |
4,576 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6Highest 12% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
| Bath and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bath and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,813±$22kLowest 32% below NH |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
| Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,400±$23kLowest 42% below NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
| Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309Lowest 4% below NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
— |
| Brookline and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413Lowest 34% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lee and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minLowest 4% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
28 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Brookline 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 | — | #23 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bath School District | Brookline School District | Oyster River Coop 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 | 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.