Compare towns
Jackson vs Lyme vs Middlesex
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jackson has the most renters (8.1% rent).
Lyme has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.2%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Jackson | Lyme | Middlesex |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,695Lowest |
2,066Highest |
1,943 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.9±3.6Highest 46% above U.S. |
56.8±6.1 46% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9Lowest 14% above U.S. |
| Jackson and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.4%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
36.2%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Middlesex and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$8kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$81,400±$5k about the U.S. average |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,400±$40k 29% below U.S. |
$234,700±$20kLowest 29% below U.S. |
$376,300±$40kHighest 13% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,139±$43 19% below U.S. |
$838±$190Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$1,333±$359Highest 6% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,165 34% above U.S. |
$3,442Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 77.8%±44.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
32.7%±52 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jackson and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.