Compare towns
Brookline vs Epping vs Exeter vs Putney
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).
Epping has the most people working from home (24%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Putney has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Epping | Exeter | Putney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 531Lowest |
7,430 |
16,151Highest |
2,622 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
37.2±5.2Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Brookline 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% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
15.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.1%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$16k about the U.S. average |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$79,706±$18kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$436,900±$35k 31% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$300,000±$44k 10% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$508±$482Lowest 64% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,000Lowest 60% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,313 70% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
54.2%±19.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Exeter 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.6%±5.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
16.9%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Epping 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 | — | #77 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #32 of 70 in VT |
| School district | — | Epping School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | — | Epping High School | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.3Lowest |
12.1Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 6 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.