Compare towns
Dorchester vs Lyme vs Newington vs Newmarket
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%).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
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 | Newington | Newmarket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 410Lowest |
1,710 |
939 |
9,463Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 56±10.5Highest 29% above NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
48.7±10.1 12% above NH |
41.2±1.9Lowest 5% below NH |
| Dorchester and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.2%±4.4Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9 NH: 18.2% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
28%±11 NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Dorchester and Newington 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% |
62.4% NH: 40.6% |
49.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Newmarket and Newington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | — | $133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$145,833±$46kHighest 47% above NH |
$100,845±$13kLowest about the NH average |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 65% below NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
$455,000±$22k 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
$1,671±$69 12% above NH |
| Newington and Newmarket 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$6,081 9% below NH |
$8,734 31% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Newington and Lyme 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% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.9% NH: 72.8% |
52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 6 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 50% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
28 min 6% above NH |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #39 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Lyme School District | Newington School District | Newmarket School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 9.9 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.