Compare towns
Brookline vs Hartford vs Lebanon
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).
Hartford has the most affordable homes ($305k median).
Lebanon has the most renters (48.8% rent).
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 | Hartford | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,736Lowest |
10,736 |
14,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
43.2±3.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Hartford and Brookline 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% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hartford and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.3%±3.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lebanon and Brookline 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. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below U.S. |
$98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$304,500±$26kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$385,400±$29k 16% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,744±$132 23% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Lebanon 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. |
$5,773Lowest 85% above U.S. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hartford and Lebanon 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% |
11.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
18 min 30% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline and Lebanon 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Brookline School District | Hartford School District | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Hartford High School | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6Lowest |
11.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.