Compare towns
Brookline vs Exeter vs Holderness vs Stratham
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 kids (26.7% under 18).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k 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 | Holderness | Stratham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
16,151Highest |
1,917Lowest |
7,754 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
-4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
39.4±7.4Lowest 9% below NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
| Exeter and Stratham 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% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Stratham 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% |
31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Exeter 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% |
55.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 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±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$107,863±$45kLowest 9% above NH |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
| Brookline and Stratham 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 |
$363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1k 68% above NH |
$1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
$2,068±$385 39% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
| Stratham 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 |
$3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$9,781 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham 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% |
12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
83.7% NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Stratham 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 | — | #43 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Holderness School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— | — |
| 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.