Compare towns
Eliot vs Windham vs Lyme
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 most affordable homes ($499k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Windham | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146 |
16,038Highest |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
41.1±2.9Lowest 6% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% 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% |
27.4%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
15.5%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 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% |
62.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Windham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$189,583±$19kHighest 135% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$723,300±$50kHighest 117% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
| Windham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$3,218±$350Highest 128% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.2%±50.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1996Highest 16 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Windham 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Windham School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.