Compare towns
Brookline vs Exeter vs Townsend vs Milford
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 oldest population (median age 45.8).
Townsend has the oldest housing (typical home built 1976).
Milford has the youngest population (median age 36.8).
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 | Townsend | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
16,151 |
9,100 |
16,337Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3 5% above U.S. |
36.8±2.5Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Milford 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% |
15.1%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% |
37.2% 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%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.3Lowest 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±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$97,768±$14kLowest 21% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22k 30% above U.S. |
$398,800±$20kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$1,661±$126 18% 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. |
$7,522 141% 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% |
49.6%±15.8 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% |
3.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.9%Lowest 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. |
1982 2 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. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Exeter 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 | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | North Middlesex | Milford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | North Middlesex Regional | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
13.1Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.