Compare towns
Charleston vs Exeter vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Charleston has the most homeowners (87.1%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Braintree has the most affordable homes ($218k 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 | Charleston | Exeter | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 936Lowest |
16,151Highest |
1,026 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 58.4±9.3Highest 50% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4Highest 50% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 37.7%±8.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Charleston and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Charleston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $49,286±$17kLowest 39% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$79,803±$5k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $238,000±$53k 28% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$444 31% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,750Lowest 20% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,908 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±26.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 18.7%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Braintree 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 | Charleston School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.