Compare towns
Holderness vs Brookline vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Holderness has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
Brookline has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
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 | Holderness | Brookline | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,917Lowest |
5,736 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+13%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 39.4±7.4Lowest 9% below NH |
41.2±1.5 5% below NH |
45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±9.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 31.4%±4.6Highest NH: 20.1% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Holderness and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
57.7% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.6%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 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 | $107,863±$45kLowest 9% above NH |
$171,046±$4kHighest 73% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,100±$60kLowest 10% below NH |
$544,400±$38kHighest 35% above NH |
$456,600±$21k 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$385 39% above NH |
$2,500±$1kHighest 68% above NH |
$1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
| Brookline and Holderness are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,923Lowest 41% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
23.8%±43.5 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.7% NH: 72.8% |
95.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 2 yrs newer than NH |
1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH |
1979Lowest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the NH average |
33 minHighest 25% above NH |
25 minLowest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 9.4%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
24.7%±5.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 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 | — | #23 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Holderness School District | Brookline School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 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.