Compare towns

Brentwood vs Eliot vs Lee vs Brookline

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brentwood has the most homeowners (96%).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).

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.

MeasureBrentwoodEliotLeeBrookline
People
Population
4,641
7,146Highest
4,576Lowest
5,736
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+0.1%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+4.4%
U.S.: +7.4%
+13%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
43.8±3.1
13% above U.S.
50.8±5.9Highest
31% above U.S.
42.9±1.9
10% above U.S.
41.2±1.5Lowest
6% above U.S.
Eliot 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
U.S.: 22%
16.3%±3.9Lowest
U.S.: 22%
21.9%±5.6
U.S.: 22%
26.7%±4Highest
U.S.: 22%
Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
21.8%±3.7
U.S.: 17.2%
27.8%±6.2Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
22.6%±6.8
U.S.: 17.2%
11.4%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Eliot 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%
U.S.: 35.7%
43.6%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
50.6%
U.S.: 35.7%
57.7%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.6%±2.4
U.S.: 6.4%
2%±1.4Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.4%±2.6
U.S.: 6.4%
6.3%±3.2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
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
$165,509±$23k
105% above U.S.
$101,522±$10kLowest
26% above U.S.
$131,579±$54k
63% above U.S.
$171,046±$4kHighest
112% above U.S.
Brookline and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$528,100±$75k
59% above U.S.
$498,900±$62k
50% above U.S.
$480,600±$61kLowest
44% above U.S.
$544,400±$38kHighest
64% above U.S.
Brookline and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$2,217±$654
57% above U.S.
$1,948±$471Lowest
38% above U.S.
—
$2,500±$1kHighest
77% above U.S.
Brookline and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$9,713
211% above U.S.
$4,549Lowest
46% above U.S.
$9,661
210% above U.S.
$10,000+Highest
at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
63.9%±37.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
55.1%±20.1
U.S.: 51.1%
38.3%±53.3
U.S.: 51.1%
23.8%±43.5Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Brentwood and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
4.8%Highest
U.S.: 12.5%
2.6%
U.S.: 12.5%
0.6%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
96%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
79.8%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
95.8%
U.S.: 65.2%
95.1%
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1995Highest
15 yrs newer than U.S.
1979Lowest
1 yr older than U.S.
1987
7 yrs newer than U.S.
1993
13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
28 min
5% above U.S.
23 minLowest
15% below U.S.
28 min
4% above U.S.
33 minHighest
26% above U.S.
Work from home
23.1%±8.5
U.S.: 15.1%
17.4%±4.7Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
27.6%±8.8Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
24.7%±5.8
U.S.: 15.1%
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 #16 of 120 in NH #19 of 133 in ME #3 of 120 in NH #23 of 120 in NH
School district Brentwood School District RSU 35/MSAD 35 Oyster River Coop School District Brookline School District
High school in town None in town None in town None in town None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story 6 photos → None yet 10 photos → None yet

U.S. 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.