Compare towns
Brentwood vs Kennebunk vs Exeter
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 highest household income ($166k).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (32.5%).
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 | Kennebunk | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,641Lowest |
11,820 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.8±3.1Lowest 13% above U.S. |
54.6±3.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±3 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brentwood and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.8%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
30%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kennebunk and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Brentwood 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 105% above U.S. |
$107,804±$8kLowest 34% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $528,100±$75kHighest 59% above U.S. |
$487,700±$21k 47% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Brentwood and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,217±$654Highest 57% above U.S. |
$1,425±$290Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| 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 211% above U.S. |
$4,999Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.9%±37.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.1%±10.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1995Highest 15 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.1%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.5%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Kennebunk 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 | #9 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brentwood School District | RSU 21 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6Lowest |
12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 6 photos → | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.