Compare towns
Brookfield vs Exeter vs Monkton vs Plainfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookfield has the most kids (18.8% under 18).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Monkton has the most homeowners (96.6%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($318k 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.
| Measure | Brookfield | Exeter | Monkton | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,486 |
16,151Highest |
1,999 |
1,314Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 47±5.9 21% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
47.1±5.4 21% above U.S. |
48.1±5.5Highest 24% above U.S. |
| Plainfield and Monkton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.1%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Monkton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.1%±3.5 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+ | 45.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$119,688±$28kHighest 48% above U.S. |
$69,250±$31kLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Monkton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,300±$15k about the U.S. average |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$379,900±$18k 14% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $975±$306Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,301±$120 8% below U.S. |
$1,153±$103 18% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,887 89% above U.S. |
$4,806 54% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±64 U.S.: 51.1% |
73.2%±53.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Plainfield and Monkton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield and Monkton 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 | — | — |
| School district | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Mt. Abraham Unified School District #61 | — |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.