Compare towns
Pepperell vs Exeter vs North 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
Pepperell has the most renters (50.8% rent).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
North Brookfield has the most affordable homes ($359k median).
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 | Pepperell | Exeter | North Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,971Lowest |
16,151Highest |
4,760 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 46.4±6.3Highest 19% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.2±9.4Lowest 16% above U.S. |
| Pepperell and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Exeter and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and North Brookfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,726±$17kLowest 5% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$79,285±$11k about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $457,300±$40kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$359,100±$32kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Pepperell and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,139±$301 19% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$981±$63Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,871 120% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,176Lowest 34% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.6%±20.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.4%±15.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Pepperell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 49.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 min 30% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter and Pepperell 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 | #153 of 282 in MA | #22 of 120 in NH | #270 of 282 in MA |
| School district | — | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | North Brookfield |
| High school in town | — | Exeter High School | North Brookfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
5.5Lowest |
| 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.