Compare towns
Marshfield vs Exeter vs Brookline
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Marshfield has the most affordable homes ($178k median).
Exeter has the most expensive homes ($457k median).
Brookline has the most homeowners (84.9%).
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 | Marshfield | Exeter | Brookline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 470Lowest |
16,151Highest |
531 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±8.8Lowest 9% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7 16% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±9.1 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.2%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,375±$20k 5% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Exeter and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $178,300±$31kLowest 46% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37k 13% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,125±$79Lowest 20% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,732±$232 23% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,269Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,000 60% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.4%±62.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.5%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | — |
| 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.