Compare towns
Brookline vs Exeter vs Mason vs Townsend
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
Mason has the most affordable homes ($384k median).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Mason | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
16,151Highest |
1,451Lowest |
9,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
28.8%±6.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.6%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 112% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$111,090±$3k 38% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$384,000±$21kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1k 77% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$2,530±$852Highest 79% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
| 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 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$7,049 126% above U.S. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
87.2%±42.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mason 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
41 minHighest 55% above U.S. |
37 min 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.7%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Mason 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 | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Brookline School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Mason School District | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
— | 13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.