Compare towns
Lancaster vs Lyme vs Guildhall
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lancaster has the most affordable homes ($216k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Guildhall has the most homeowners (93.7%).
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 | Lancaster | Lyme | Guildhall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,216Highest |
1,710 |
371Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 45.5±6.9 17% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
42.6±7.8Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±6.1 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±7.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Guildhall and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 28.4%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.1%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lancaster and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±2.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lyme and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,911±$23kLowest 15% below U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$115,000±$46k 42% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Guildhall are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $215,700±$24kLowest 35% below U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$321,200±$62k 3% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,019±$263 28% below U.S. |
$1,418±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$850±$717Lowest 40% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,226Lowest 35% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,625 48% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.1%±17Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
75%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Guildhall and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1942Lowest 38 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1958 22 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 13% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.5%±6.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #107 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | White Mountains Regional School District | Lyme School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.