Compare towns
Lisbon vs Brunswick vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k median).
Brunswick has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Lisbon | Brunswick | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Lowest |
22,336Highest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest about the U.S. average |
40±2.8 about the U.S. average |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lisbon and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.9%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.3%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,819±$9k 4% below U.S. |
$74,952±$6kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26kLowest 22% below U.S. |
$376,300±$15k 13% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,469±$99 4% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324Lowest 7% above U.S. |
$4,756 52% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±8.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 11% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Brunswick 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | Brunswick High School | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
10.9Lowest |
12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.