Compare towns
Brookline vs Exeter vs Dover vs Milford
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).
Exeter has the oldest population (median age 45.8).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Milford has the most affordable homes ($399k 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 | Exeter | Dover | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
16,151 |
33,364Highest |
16,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
36.9±1.9 15% below NH |
36.8±2.5Lowest 15% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Milford 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% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Dover 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 |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$97,768±$14k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$398,800±$20kLowest about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,607±$100Lowest 8% above NH |
$1,661±$126 11% 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 |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$7,522Lowest 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Milford 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% NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.9% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Exeter 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Dover School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Dover Senior High School | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
12.7Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.