Compare towns
Hampton vs Lyme vs Eliot vs Meredith
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampton has the most renters (26.2% rent).
Lyme has the highest household income ($134k).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Meredith has the most affordable homes ($480k 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 | Hampton | Lyme | Eliot | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 16,426Highest |
1,710Lowest |
7,146 |
6,758 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.8±2.1Highest 43% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Lowest 25% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Meredith and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
45.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lyme and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,233±$9k 18% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $550,200±$39k 65% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48kLowest 44% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,628±$94 15% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,149±$304Lowest 19% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,813 118% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,006 61% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.8%±10.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.7%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Meredith 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #62 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District | Lyme School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | Winnacunnet High School | None in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.1Lowest |
— | — | 11.1Highest |
| 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.