Compare towns
Brookline vs Deerfield vs Northwood
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Northwood has the most affordable homes ($363k 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 | Brookline | Deerfield | Northwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Highest |
4,932 |
4,688Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% NH: +4.6% |
+13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
42.8±4.2Highest about the NH average |
42.4±7.8 about the NH average |
| Deerfield and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.9%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
18%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.5%±3.5 NH: 20.1% |
21.5%±5.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Northwood and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
47.3% NH: 40.6% |
38.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.8%±2 NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$131,563±$10k 33% above NH |
$129,375±$23kLowest 31% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$421,000±$33k 5% above NH |
$363,000±$13kLowest 10% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,593±$318 7% above NH |
$1,201±$372Lowest 19% below NH |
| Brookline and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,369 11% above NH |
$5,806Lowest 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
17.4%±17.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
23.7%±29.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Brookline and Northwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.8% NH: 7.2% |
7.5%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.3% NH: 72.8% |
89%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1970Lowest 9 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minLowest 25% above NH |
34 min 28% above NH |
37 minHighest 37% above NH |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.4%±6.3 NH: 16.8% |
18.7%±6.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Deerfield 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #61 of 120 in NH | #24 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Deerfield School District | Northwood School District · Coe-Brown Northwood Academy School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Coe-Brown Northwood Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.