Compare towns
Durham vs Lyme vs Kittery
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Lyme has the most kids (19.5% under 18).
Kittery has the most affordable homes ($469k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Lyme | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 15,080Highest |
1,710Lowest |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,716±$224Highest 21% above U.S. |
| Kittery and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.4%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 21% below U.S. |
20 min 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #9 of 120 in NH | — | #17 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Lyme School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | Oyster River High School | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
— | 9.9Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 51 photos → | 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.