Compare towns
Brookline vs Exeter vs Rye vs Lee
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).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Lee has the most homeowners (95.8%).
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 | Rye | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
16,151Highest |
5,611 |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+4.6% NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
55.1±3Highest 27% above NH |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18.2%±4 NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Lee 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% |
31.7%±5.3Highest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Rye 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% |
61.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 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±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$140,655±$39k 42% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
| Brookline and Rye 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±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 155% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,781±$156Lowest 19% 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 |
$7,519Lowest 13% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.3%±16.1 NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Rye 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% |
6.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
85.5% NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
29 min 8% above NH |
28 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
30.9%±7.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Rye and Lee 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Rye School District | Oyster River Coop 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 | 10 photos → |
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.