Compare towns
Brookline vs Dorset 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
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Dorset has the most people working from home (29.3%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
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 | Dorset | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736 |
2,092Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.9±7.5Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.5 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
72.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brookline and Exeter 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 112% above U.S. |
$111,250±$40k 38% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38k 64% above U.S. |
$569,200±$57kHighest 71% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Dorset and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,420±$296Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Exeter 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 221% above U.S. |
$7,489Lowest 140% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.3%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dorset and Brookline 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.