Compare towns
Exeter vs Brookline vs Amherst vs Newfields
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 the most renters (30.9% rent).
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Amherst has the most people working from home (32.4%).
Newfields has the most expensive homes ($646k median).
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 | Brookline | Amherst | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
5,736 |
11,861 |
2,023Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
45.9±3.5Highest 6% above NH |
44.1±1.8 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% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
22.4%±3.3 NH: 18.2% |
18.9%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Amherst 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% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
20.2%±3 NH: 20.1% |
13.6%±0.9 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Amherst 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% |
57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
65.7% NH: 40.6% |
68.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2 NH: 6% |
3.7%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
7.5%±7.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Newfields and Brookline 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 |
$171,046±$4k 73% above NH |
$153,196±$10k 55% above NH |
$197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$537,600±$30k 34% above NH |
$646,400±$34kHighest 61% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,462±$256Lowest about the NH average |
$1,875±$323 26% above NH |
| Brookline and Newfields 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,773 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
31.4%±9 NH: 48.2% |
43.3%±40.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Newfields 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% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
2.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
91.9% NH: 72.8% |
95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
1991 12 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
33 min 22% above NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
32.4%±5.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.5%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Amherst and Newfields 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 | #23 of 120 in NH | #20 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Brookline School District | Amherst School District · Souhegan Cooperative School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Souhegan Coop High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 10.4Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet | 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.