Compare towns
Eliot vs Lyme vs Amesbury vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
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 | Eliot | Lyme | Amesbury | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
1,710Lowest |
17,403Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7Lowest 12% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Topsham and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12k 28% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,360 136% above U.S. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Eliot 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #151 of 282 in MA | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Lyme School District | Amesbury | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Amesbury High | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.9Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.