Compare towns
Townsend vs Brookline 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
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Brookline has the highest household income ($171k).
Exeter has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Townsend | Brookline | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100 |
5,736Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+13%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.2±1.5 6% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
26.7%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.3%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $121,528±$23k 51% above U.S. |
$171,046±$4kHighest 112% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$544,400±$38kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$313Lowest 4% above U.S. |
$2,500±$1kHighest 77% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
| Brookline and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
23.8%±43.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
0.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
33 min 26% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.7%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #23 of 120 in NH | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Middlesex | Brookline School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
| 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.