Compare towns
Exeter vs Amherst 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
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
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 | Amherst | Brentwood |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
11,861 |
4,641Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9% NH: +4.6% |
+0.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
43.8±3.1Lowest about the NH average |
| Amherst and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Amherst and Brentwood are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
| 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% NH: 40.6% |
65.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
49%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5 NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.4Lowest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$165,509±$23kHighest 67% above NH |
| Brentwood and Amherst are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$537,600±$30kHighest 34% above NH |
$528,100±$75k 31% above NH |
| Amherst and Brentwood 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 |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$2,217±$654Highest 49% above NH |
| Brentwood and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
$9,773Highest 47% above NH |
$9,713 46% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9Lowest NH: 48.2% |
63.9%±37.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Brentwood and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
96%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1995Highest 16 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
23.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Brentwood 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 | #20 of 120 in NH | #16 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Brentwood School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
10.4Lowest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 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.