Compare towns
Exeter vs Lyme vs Ogunquit vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Lyme has the highest household income ($134k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Exeter | Lyme | Ogunquit | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
1,710 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+18% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
— | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814 183% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 6% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest 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 | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 120 in NH | — | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Lyme School District | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | — | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
— | — | 11.4Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.