Compare towns
Brentwood vs Hanover vs Auburn 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 most kids (21.4% under 18).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Auburn has grown the fastest since 2010 (+20%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Brentwood | Hanover | Auburn | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,641Lowest |
11,685 |
6,119 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+20%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43.8±3.1 about the NH average |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
44.3±5.9 about the NH average |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±4.1Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.3%±4.3 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Brentwood and Auburn 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% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
13.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Brentwood 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% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
55.3% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.4Lowest NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
7.2%±4.7 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $165,509±$23k 67% above NH |
$169,583±$36kHighest 71% above NH |
$153,253±$6k 55% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Hanover 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 31% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$600,300±$29k 49% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,217±$654 49% above NH |
$2,253±$217Highest 51% above NH |
$1,893±$822 27% above NH |
$1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
| Hanover and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,713 46% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,092Lowest 21% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.9%±37.7 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
27.6%±27Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover and Brentwood 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% |
5.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.5%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
93.9% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1995Highest 16 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
28 minHighest 4% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 23.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5 NH: 16.8% |
26.5%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Auburn 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 | #16 of 120 in NH | #1 of 120 in NH | #44 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brentwood School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Auburn School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hanover High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 6 photos → | 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.