Compare towns
Exeter vs Dunbarton vs Brookline
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).
Dunbarton has the oldest population (median age 48).
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
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 | Dunbarton | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
3,097Lowest |
5,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% NH: +4.6% |
+9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
48±3.7Highest 11% above NH |
41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH |
| Dunbarton and Exeter 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% |
19.8%±3.8 NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Brookline and Dunbarton 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% |
20.4%±4.3 NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Dunbarton 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% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
3.8%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest 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 |
$124,348±$21k 26% above NH |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$484,100±$33k 20% above NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
| Brookline and Dunbarton 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 |
$1,166±$70Lowest 22% below NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above 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 |
$8,233Lowest 23% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
54.7%±60.7 NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Dunbarton 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% |
3% NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest same as NH |
1990 11 yrs newer than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below NH |
34 minHighest 25% above NH |
33 min 25% above NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
12.6%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Brookline and Exeter 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 | #33 of 120 in NH | #23 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Dunbarton School District | Brookline 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.