Compare towns
Exeter vs Brookline vs Hampstead vs Portsmouth
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 affordable homes ($457k median).
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Portsmouth has the most expensive homes ($689k 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 | Hampstead | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
5,736Lowest |
9,102 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
45.3±6.1 5% above NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Hampstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Hampstead 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% |
21.8%±4 NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth 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% NH: 40.6% |
44.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6 NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest 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 | $110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$544,400±$38k 35% above NH |
$521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
| Brookline and Portsmouth 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.1% NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Portsmouth 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 | #49 of 120 in NH | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Brookline School District | Hampstead School District | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | — | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.