Compare towns
Dorchester vs Lyme vs Brookfield
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).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Brookfield has the oldest population (median age 58.1).
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 | Lyme | Brookfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 410Lowest |
1,710Highest |
567 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±10.5 29% above NH |
48.6±7.8Lowest 12% above NH |
58.1±9.7Highest 34% above NH |
| Brookfield 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% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
8.6%±4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
38.4%±3.4 NH: 20.1% |
| Dorchester and Brookfield 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% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
36.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
5.5%±5Highest NH: 6% |
| Brookfield and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | — | $133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$81,406±$31kLowest 18% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$428,000±$61k 6% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,418±$130 5% below NH |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779Lowest 43% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,926 11% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
— |
| Lyme and Dorchester 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% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
98.4%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1975 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
27 min about the NH average |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
13.7%±6.8 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Lyme School District | — |
| High school 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.