Compare towns
Brookline vs Dover vs Exeter
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 most kids (20% under 18).
Dover has grown the fastest since 2010 (+60%).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($457k median).
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 | Dover | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 531Lowest |
1,466 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+60%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7Lowest 16% above U.S. |
53.5±8.3Highest 38% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Dover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.2%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.5%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dover and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$52,313±$7kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$332,900±$55k about the U.S. average |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
$670±$49Lowest 53% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000 60% above U.S. |
$4,510Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.1%±17.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.2%±11.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dover 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 | — | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | River Valleys Unified School District #73 | 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 History | None yet | None yet | 59 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.