Compare towns
Brookline vs Exeter vs Hanover vs Mason
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($825k median).
Mason has the most affordable homes ($384k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Exeter | Hanover | Mason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
16,151Highest |
11,685 |
1,451Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+5.4% NH: +4.6% |
+4.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
28.7±5.1Lowest 34% below NH |
43.7±2.3 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Mason and Brookline 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% |
19.7%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
88.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
36.9%±2.4Highest NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$169,583±$36k 71% above NH |
$111,090±$3k 12% above NH |
| Brookline and Hanover 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 |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
$824,900±$61kHighest 105% above NH |
$384,000±$21kLowest 5% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1k 68% above NH |
$1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
$2,253±$217 51% above NH |
$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
| Mason and Brookline 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,049Lowest 6% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±17.5 NH: 48.2% |
87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Mason and Hanover 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% |
5.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
73.7% NH: 72.8% |
90.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 25% above NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
20 minLowest 27% below NH |
41 minHighest 53% above NH |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
26.4%±5Highest NH: 16.8% |
20.7%±4.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Brookline School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | Mason School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Hanover High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
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.