Compare towns
Bedford vs Hanover vs Brookline vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Bedford | Hanover | Brookline | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 23,746Highest |
8,479 |
5,736Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10% NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45±2.2 4% above NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63% NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
$153,281±$26k 55% above NH |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Brookline and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $612,100±$26k 52% above NH |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,099±$274 41% above NH |
$2,254±$249 51% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
| Brookline and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,803 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.4%±15.3 NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Bedford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.7% NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% NH: 72.8% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 5% below NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6 NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford and Hanover 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 | #7 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Bedford School District | — | Brookline School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Bedford High School | — | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
— | — | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 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.