Compare towns
Brookline vs Epping vs Hampton vs Lee
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).
Epping has the most affordable homes ($437k median).
Hampton has the most renters (25.5% rent).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Epping | Hampton | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
7,430 |
10,101Highest |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+11.1% NH: +4.6% |
-0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
45.1±3.5 4% above NH |
51.2±1.7Highest 18% above NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.7%±4.8 NH: 18.2% |
14.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Lee 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% |
22.6%±5.2 NH: 20.1% |
26.9%±3.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Hampton and Epping 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% |
37%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.2% NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±3.3 NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.7Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Lee 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 |
$104,220±$7k 5% above NH |
$97,163±$4kLowest about the NH average |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
| Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$436,900±$35kLowest 9% above NH |
$545,300±$63kHighest 35% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
| Hampton 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 68% above NH |
$1,742±$576 17% above NH |
$1,654±$93Lowest 11% above NH |
— |
| Brookline and Epping 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 |
$6,936 4% above NH |
$6,872Lowest 3% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.8%±25.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.9%±13.1 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Epping and Hampton 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% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% NH: 72.8% |
86.3% NH: 72.8% |
74.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1989 10 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
32 min 21% above NH |
26 minLowest 3% below NH |
28 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
24%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
20.5%±3.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #77 of 120 in NH | #31 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Epping School District | — | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Epping High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.