Compare towns
Dorchester vs Enfield vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Enfield has the oldest population (median age 58.3).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Dorchester | Enfield | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410Lowest |
4,475Highest |
1,710 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -2.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±10.5 29% above NH |
58.3±5.4Highest 35% above NH |
48.6±7.8Lowest 12% above NH |
| Enfield and Dorchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4 NH: 18.2% |
7.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
30.7%±7.6 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Dorchester and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.8%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
43% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
2.7%±3.4 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Lyme and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $95,474±$19kLowest 4% below NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$390,800±$71k about the NH average |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,181±$563Lowest 21% below NH |
$1,418±$130Highest 5% below NH |
| Lyme and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
$6,203 7% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
17.8%±16.7 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Enfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
16.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
82.1% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1983Highest 4 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above NH |
24 min 11% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
11%±5.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #5 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Mascoma Valley Regional School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.