Compare towns
Lincoln vs Exeter vs Brookfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lincoln has the most homeowners (88.1%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Brookfield has the most people working from home (27.3%).
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 | Lincoln | Exeter | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,394Lowest |
16,151Highest |
1,486 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.7±3.6Lowest 17% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
47±5.9Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Brookfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.1%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.8%±4.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.3%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.7%±6.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Brookfield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
45.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $96,667±$18kLowest 20% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$98,500±$23k 22% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $365,200±$30k 10% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$339,300±$15kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $870±$47Lowest 38% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$975±$306 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,100 96% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,560Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
30.4%±27.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Lincoln are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 12% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 38% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.3%±10.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookfield 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 | — |
| School district | Lincoln Town School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.