Compare towns
Exeter vs Amesbury vs Brentwood
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Brentwood has the highest household income ($166k).
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 | Exeter | Amesbury | Brentwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151 |
17,403Highest |
4,641Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
43.8±3.1 13% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brentwood and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.8%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.6%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$165,509±$23kHighest 105% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$528,100±$75kHighest 59% above U.S. |
| Brentwood and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,683±$115Lowest 19% above U.S. |
$2,217±$654Highest 57% above U.S. |
| Brentwood and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$7,360Lowest 136% above U.S. |
$9,713Highest 211% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.9%±37.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1995Highest 15 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.1%±8.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brentwood 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #151 of 282 in MA | #16 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Amesbury | Brentwood School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Amesbury High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
10.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.