What stands out worked out from the figures below

Westbrook has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).

Exeter has the highest household income ($110k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Westbrook	Exeter
People
Population	20,775Highest	16,151Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+12.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	37.4±1Lowest 4% below U.S.	45.8±2.3Highest 18% above U.S.
Kids under 18	18.5%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%	17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Westbrook and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.1%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	24.4%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	41.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	9%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%	6.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Westbrook and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,038±$7kLowest 5% above U.S.	$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$383,300±$19kLowest 15% above U.S.	$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,392±$74Lowest about the U.S. average	$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,005Lowest 28% above U.S.	$8,814Highest 183% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	46.1%±7.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Exeter and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	61.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	19 minLowest 29% below U.S.	25 minHighest 6% below U.S.
Work from home	17.8%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Exeter and Westbrook 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	#115 of 133 in ME	#22 of 120 in NH
School district	Westbrook Public Schools	Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District
High school in town	Westbrook High School	Exeter High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.0Lowest	12.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.