Compare towns
Exeter vs Brookline vs Mont Vernon
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).
Mont Vernon has the most people working from home (26.6%).
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 | Brookline | Mont Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
5,736 |
2,636Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+7.3%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
42.9±2.8 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Mont Vernon 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% |
22.1%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Mont Vernon 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% |
15.6%±3.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
50.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±2.8Lowest 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±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$158,036±$19k 60% above NH |
| Brookline and Mont Vernon 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 |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$526,300±$39k 31% above NH |
| Brookline and Mont Vernon 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 |
$1,104±$185Lowest 26% 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 | $8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$9,432 41% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
51.4%±80.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Mont Vernon 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% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
30 min 12% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
26.6%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Mont Vernon and Brookline 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 | #4 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Brookline School District | Mont Vernon School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.