What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookfield has the most expensive homes ($428k median).

Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brookfield	Exeter
People
Population	567Lowest	1,093Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-11.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	58.1±9.7Highest 49% above U.S.	52.6±7.7Lowest 35% above U.S.
	Brookfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	8.6%±4Lowest U.S.: 22%	9%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22%
	Exeter and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	38.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 17.2%	23.9%±11.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Brookfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	36.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	15%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Brookfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,406±$31kLowest about the U.S. average	$84,408±$12kHighest 5% above U.S.
	Exeter and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$428,000±$61kHighest 29% above U.S.	$166,700±$39kLowest 50% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$995±$386 30% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,926Highest 90% above U.S.	$1,602Lowest 49% below U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	—	33.3%±73.8 U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	3.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	98.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	93.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minLowest 3% above U.S.	35 minHighest 33% above U.S.
Work from home	13.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%	10.3%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Brookfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	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.