Compare towns
Gray vs Lyme vs Exeter vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Windham has the youngest population (median age 41.8).
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 | Gray | Lyme | Exeter | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429 |
1,710Lowest |
16,151 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$107,934±$14k 34% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$388,900±$22k 17% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,232±$332Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$3,938 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Exeter 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Lyme School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Exeter High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Highest |
— | 12.1Lowest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.