Compare towns
Bath vs Lyme vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most affordable homes ($234k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
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 | Lyme | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097 |
1,710Highest |
786Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+9.6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6Lowest 12% above NH |
48.6±7.8Lowest 12% above NH |
51±10.4Highest 18% above NH |
| Monroe and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.9%±7.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Bath and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
30.3%±8.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Monroe and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
25.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
1.1%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Lyme and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,813±$22kLowest 32% below NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$88,150±$7k 11% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,400±$23kLowest 42% below NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$312,700±$58k 22% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309Highest 4% below NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,104±$218Lowest 26% below NH |
| Bath and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413 34% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$2,661Lowest 60% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
48%±39 NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
5.2% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
3.2%±2.2Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Bath School District | Lyme School District | Monroe School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.