Compare towns
Exeter vs Hooksett vs Brattleboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Hooksett has the most homeowners (80.6%).
Brattleboro has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
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 | Hooksett | Brattleboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
15,057 |
12,122Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S. |
45.6±4.5 17% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.4%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
19%±2.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brattleboro and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±3.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brattleboro 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
46.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Hooksett 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 37% above U.S. |
$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S. |
$58,241±$8kLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Hooksett and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$407,000±$26k 22% above U.S. |
$257,300±$18kLowest 23% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,661±$206 18% above U.S. |
$1,074±$58Lowest 24% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$6,554 110% above U.S. |
$5,700Lowest 83% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Brattleboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
17.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1955Lowest 25 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Brattleboro 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 | #30 of 120 in NH | #33 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Hooksett School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Brattleboro Union High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | 9.0Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.