Compare towns

Deerfield vs Lee vs Brookline vs Brentwood

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Deerfield has the most affordable homes ($421k median).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Brentwood has the oldest population (median age 43.8).

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.

MeasureDeerfieldLeeBrooklineBrentwood
People
Population
4,932
4,576Lowest
5,736Highest
4,641
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+13.4%Highest
NH: +4.6%
+4.4%
NH: +4.6%
+13%
NH: +4.6%
+0.1%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
42.8±4.2
about the NH average
42.9±1.9
about the NH average
41.2±1.5Lowest
5% below NH
43.8±3.1Highest
about the NH average
Brentwood and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
20.9%±4.1Lowest
NH: 18.2%
21.9%±5.6
NH: 18.2%
26.7%±4Highest
NH: 18.2%
21.4%±4.1
NH: 18.2%
Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
17.5%±3.5
NH: 20.1%
22.6%±6.8Highest
NH: 20.1%
11.4%±2.1Lowest
NH: 20.1%
21.8%±3.7
NH: 20.1%
Lee and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
47.3%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
50.6%
NH: 40.6%
57.7%Highest
NH: 40.6%
49%
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.6%±1.8Lowest
NH: 6%
5.4%±2.6
NH: 6%
6.3%±3.2Highest
NH: 6%
3.6%±2.4Lowest
NH: 6%
Brookline and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$131,563±$10kLowest
33% above NH
$131,579±$54k
33% above NH
$171,046±$4kHighest
73% above NH
$165,509±$23k
67% above NH
Brookline and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$421,000±$33kLowest
5% above NH
$480,600±$61k
19% above NH
$544,400±$38kHighest
35% above NH
$528,100±$75k
31% above NH
Brookline and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,593±$318Lowest
7% above NH
—
$2,500±$1kHighest
68% above NH
$2,217±$654
49% above NH
Brookline and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$7,369Lowest
11% above NH
$9,661
45% above NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
$9,713
46% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
17.4%±17.6Lowest
NH: 48.2%
38.3%±53.3
NH: 48.2%
23.8%±43.5
NH: 48.2%
63.9%±37.7Highest
NH: 48.2%
Brentwood and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
6.8%Highest
NH: 7.2%
2.6%
NH: 7.2%
0.6%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
3.3%
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
91.3%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
95.8%
NH: 72.8%
95.1%
NH: 72.8%
96%Highest
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1985Lowest
6 yrs newer than NH
1987
8 yrs newer than NH
1993
14 yrs newer than NH
1995Highest
16 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
34 minHighest
28% above NH
28 minLowest
about the NH average
33 min
25% above NH
28 min
4% above NH
Work from home
22.4%±6.3Lowest
NH: 16.8%
27.6%±8.8Highest
NH: 16.8%
24.7%±5.8
NH: 16.8%
23.1%±8.5
NH: 16.8%
Lee 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 #61 of 120 in NH #3 of 120 in NH #23 of 120 in NH #16 of 120 in NH
School district Deerfield School District Oyster River Coop School District Brookline School District Brentwood School District
High school in town None in town None in town None in town None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 10 photos → None yet 6 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.