Compare towns
Brookline vs Exeter vs Hampton Beach 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 homeowners (95.1%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Hampton Beach has the oldest population (median age 60.4).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Hampton Beach | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
16,151Highest |
2,605Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+14.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
60.4±2.4Highest 39% above NH |
41.5±2 4% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest 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% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
33.7%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±2.5 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
34%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
60.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| 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±$4k 73% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$82,557±$17kLowest 17% below 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 |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$508,900±$76k 26% above NH |
$506,500±$34k 26% above NH |
| Brookline and Hampton Beach 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 |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,375±$130Lowest 8% below 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 |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$6,115Lowest 8% below NH |
$9,584 44% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
61.7%±20.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
39%±13.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Hampton Beach 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% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
8.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
62.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
87.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.9%±6.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.7%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Hampton Beach 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Bow School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | — | Bow High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.