Compare towns
Dorchester vs Exeter vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Exeter has the most kids (17% under 18).
Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.1).
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 | Dorchester | Exeter | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410Lowest |
16,151Highest |
567 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±10.5 29% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
58.1±9.7Highest 34% above NH |
| Brookfield and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
8.6%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Exeter and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
38.4%±3.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Dorchester and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
36.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
5.5%±5 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $110,346±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$81,406±$31kLowest 18% below NH |
| Exeter and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$428,000±$61k 6% above NH |
| Exeter and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
$8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$5,926 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
— |
| Exeter and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.7%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Exeter and Brookfield 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 | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet |
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.