Compare towns
Exeter vs Brentwood vs Lee vs Hampstead
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%).
Brentwood has the highest household income ($166k).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
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 | Brentwood | Lee | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
4,641 |
4,576Lowest |
9,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+0.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4% NH: +4.6% |
+5.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
43.8±3.1 about the NH average |
42.9±1.9Lowest about the NH average |
45.3±6.1 5% above NH |
| Exeter and Hampstead 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% |
21.4%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Lee 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% |
21.8%±3.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Lee 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 NH: 40.6% |
49% NH: 40.6% |
50.6% NH: 40.6% |
44.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.4Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Lee 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 |
$165,509±$23kHighest 67% above NH |
$131,579±$54k 33% above NH |
$112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
| Brentwood and Lee 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 |
$528,100±$75kHighest 31% above NH |
$480,600±$61k 19% above NH |
$521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
| Brentwood and Hampstead 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 |
$2,217±$654Highest 49% above NH |
— | $1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
| Brentwood and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 32% above NH |
$9,713Highest 46% above NH |
$9,661 45% above NH |
$8,634Lowest 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
63.9%±37.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 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% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
96%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.8% NH: 72.8% |
82.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1995Highest 16 yrs newer than NH |
1987 8 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
28 min about the NH average |
30 minHighest 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Lee 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 | #16 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Brentwood School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 6 photos → | 10 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.