Compare towns
Exeter vs Brookline vs Portsmouth vs Bedford
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 most kids (26.7% under 18).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Bedford has the most people working from home (27%).
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 | Portsmouth | Bedford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151 |
5,736Lowest |
22,545 |
23,746Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
42.9±2 about the NH average |
45±2.2 4% above NH |
| Exeter and Bedford 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% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
22.7%±2.5 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Bedford 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% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
20.5%±2.1 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
64%Highest NH: 40.6% |
63% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
4.7%±2.1 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 |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$167,418±$12k 69% above NH |
| Brookline and Bedford 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±$38k 35% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$612,100±$26k 52% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$2,099±$274 41% above NH |
| Brookline and Bedford 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 |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$9,803 47% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
59.4%±15.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Bedford and Exeter 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% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
22 minLowest 17% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
27%±3.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Bedford 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 | #11 of 120 in NH | #7 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Brookline School District | Portsmouth School District | Bedford School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Portsmouth High School | Bedford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | 11.4Lowest |
13.5Highest |
| 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.