Compare towns
Brentwood vs Dover vs Lee 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
Brentwood has the highest household income ($166k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Brentwood | Dover | Lee | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,641 |
33,364Highest |
4,576Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43.8±3.1 about the NH average |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 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+ | 21.8%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest 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+ | 49%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.4Lowest NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Dover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,509±$23kHighest 67% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Brentwood and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $528,100±$75kHighest 31% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Brentwood and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,217±$654Highest 49% above NH |
$1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
— | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Brentwood and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,713Highest 46% above NH |
$8,249Lowest 24% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.9%±37.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 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 | 3.3% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8% NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1995Highest 16 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 23.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Brentwood 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 | #16 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brentwood School District | Dover School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 6 photos → | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.