Compare towns
Brookline vs Hanover vs Exeter
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).
Hanover has the most expensive homes ($843k median).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Hanover is a college town. 49.8% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Hanover | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
8,479 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
21.8±0.3Lowest 50% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
9.8%±2.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
17.6%±3.2 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
89.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
49.8%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$153,281±$26k 55% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Brookline and Hanover 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 |
$842,600±$97kHighest 109% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$2,254±$249 51% above NH |
$1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
| Brookline and Hanover 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
72%±17.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Hanover 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 NH: 7.2% |
8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
62.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1974Lowest 5 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 25% above NH |
19 minLowest 29% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
26.7%±6Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Hanover 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 | #1 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 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.