Compare towns
Exeter vs Brookline vs Stratham vs Brentwood
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).
Stratham has the most expensive homes ($655k median).
Brentwood has the most homeowners (96%).
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 | Stratham | Brentwood |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
5,736 |
7,754 |
4,641Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+0.1%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
41.6±4.9 4% below NH |
43.8±3.1 about the NH average |
| Exeter and Brentwood 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% |
23.5%±5.3 NH: 18.2% |
21.4%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Stratham 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% |
20.6%±3.6 NH: 20.1% |
21.8%±3.7 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Brentwood 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% |
69.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
49%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7 NH: 6% |
3.6%±2.4Lowest 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 |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
$165,509±$23k 67% above NH |
| Brookline and Brentwood 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 |
$655,400±$36kHighest 63% above NH |
$528,100±$75k 31% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
$2,500±$1k 68% above NH |
$2,511±$377Highest 68% above NH |
$2,217±$654 49% above NH |
| Stratham and Brookline 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 |
$9,781 47% above NH |
$9,713 46% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
63.9%±37.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Brentwood 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% |
2.4% NH: 7.2% |
3.3% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1% NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
96%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1993 14 yrs newer than NH |
1986 7 yrs newer than NH |
1995Highest 16 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6Highest NH: 16.8% |
23.1%±8.5 NH: 16.8% |
| Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #16 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Brookline School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Brentwood School District |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.