Compare towns
Exeter vs Brookline vs Kingston 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 the shortest commute (25 min average).
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Kingston has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Kingston | Hampstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
5,736Lowest |
6,275 |
9,102 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+2.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+5.6% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
55.5±5.7Highest 28% above NH |
45.3±6.1 5% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.5%±3.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
21.3%±3.7 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%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.7%±6Highest NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±4 NH: 20.1% |
| Kingston and Exeter 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% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
35.1%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
44.9% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 6% |
5.1%±1.6 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 |
$105,330±$12kLowest 6% above NH |
$112,348±$18k 13% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$492,900±$58k 22% above NH |
$521,100±$45k 29% above NH |
| Brookline 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 |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,393±$156 7% below NH |
$1,299±$149Lowest 13% below NH |
| Brookline 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$7,906Lowest 19% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.9%±46.4 NH: 48.2% |
44.1%±20.2 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Kingston 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% |
2.1% NH: 7.2% |
3.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.4% NH: 72.8% |
82.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1982 3 yrs newer than NH |
1988 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
34 minHighest 27% above NH |
30 min 13% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.7%±4.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
21%±4.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Hampstead 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 | #78 of 120 in NH | #49 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Brookline School District | Sanborn Regional School District | Hampstead School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Sanborn Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Lowest |
— | 12.9Highest |
— |
| 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.