Compare towns
Brookfield vs Exeter vs Hooksett
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.1).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Hooksett has the youngest population (median age 41.3).
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 | Brookfield | Exeter | Hooksett |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 567Lowest |
16,151Highest |
15,057 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+10.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 58.1±9.7Highest 34% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.3±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 8.6%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
17.4%±2.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Hooksett and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38.4%±3.4Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±5Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
8.9%±1.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Hooksett 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 18% below NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$117,962±$11kHighest 19% above NH |
| Hooksett and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,000±$61k 6% above NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$407,000±$26kLowest about the NH average |
| Exeter and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,661±$206Lowest 11% above NH |
| Exeter and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,926Lowest 11% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$6,554 about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | — | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.9% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 13.7%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Brookfield 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #30 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Hooksett School District |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
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.