Compare towns
Dorchester vs Lyme vs Ogunquit vs Orange
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Orange has the youngest population (median age 41.3).
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 | Ogunquit | Orange |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 410 |
1,710Highest |
1,379 |
320Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 56±10.5 44% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
41.3±9.1Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 39.8%±15.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Dorchester 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.7%±3.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orange and Ogunquit 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 66% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kLowest 42% above U.S. |
$118,750±$39k 47% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$133kLowest 58% below U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$302,600±$35k 9% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,779Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$5,132 65% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
97.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 52% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 min 6% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 12.2%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.8%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Lyme School District | — | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.