Compare towns
Dunbarton vs Exeter vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
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 | Dunbarton | Exeter | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,097Lowest |
16,151Highest |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
| Dunbarton and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Brookline and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
| Brookline and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
| Brookline and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,233Lowest 23% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Dunbarton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 25% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Exeter 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Dunbarton School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Brookline School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
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| 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.