What stands out worked out from the figures below

Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).

Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Exeter	Westbrook
People
Population	16,151Lowest	20,775Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+12.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.	37.4±1Lowest 4% below U.S.
Kids under 18	17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.5%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Westbrook and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	18.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	41.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Westbrook 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±$13kHighest 37% above U.S.	$85,038±$7kLowest 5% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S.	$383,300±$19kLowest 15% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S.	$1,392±$74Lowest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$8,814Highest 183% above U.S.	$4,005Lowest 28% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	46.1%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Exeter and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	61.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest 6% below U.S.	19 minLowest 29% below U.S.
Work from home	19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%	17.8%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Exeter and Westbrook 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	#115 of 133 in ME
School district	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District	Westbrook Public Schools
High school in town	Exeter High School	Westbrook High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.1Highest	12.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	59 photos →	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.