Compare towns
Brookline vs Durham vs Exeter vs Bow
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 most people working from home (24.7%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 45.8).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Exeter | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
15,080 |
16,151Highest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+9.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Exeter and Bow 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% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
25%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Bow 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% |
11.5%±1.6 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
60.3% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$172,857±$16kHighest 75% above NH |
| Bow and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Brookline and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,429±$143Lowest 4% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,539±$178 3% above NH |
| 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 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Durham 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 NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Bow 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | Exeter High School | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3 |
12.1Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.