Compare towns
Bath vs Exeter vs Lyme vs Newfields
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
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 | Bath | Exeter | Lyme | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
16,151Highest |
1,710Lowest |
2,023 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Newfields 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lyme School District | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Exeter High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | 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.