Compare towns
Brookline vs Exeter vs Townsend vs Lee
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 most renters (30.9% rent).
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Townsend | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736 |
16,151Highest |
9,100 |
4,576Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% 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% |
5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6 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. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54k 63% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% 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. |
$6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$9,661 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Townsend 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% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1987 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 min 26% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | North Middlesex | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | North Middlesex Regional | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
13.1Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.