Compare towns
Brookline vs Exeter vs Ogunquit vs Bow
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 most kids (26.7% under 18).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Ogunquit | Bow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
16,151Highest |
1,379Lowest |
8,335 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
41.5±2 7% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% 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% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 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±$4k 112% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
| 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±$38k 64% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
— | $1,539±$178Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| 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 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Bow 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 |
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.