Compare towns
Kensington vs Lyme vs Madbury
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kensington has the most homeowners (92.9%).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
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 | Kensington | Lyme | Madbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,009 |
1,710Lowest |
2,203Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 43.3±5.9 about the NH average |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
| Lyme and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.9 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.3Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $165,083±$18kHighest 67% above NH |
$133,906±$15kLowest 35% above NH |
$148,365±$30k 50% above NH |
| Kensington and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $657,700±$47kHighest 63% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$476,900±$31kLowest 18% above NH |
| Kensington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,813±$627Highest 22% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
| Kensington and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,637Lowest 45% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.4%±38.5 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.9%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
82.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1984 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 7% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.2%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Kensington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Kensington School District | Lyme School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
NH 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.