What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lowell has the most affordable homes ($183k median).

Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Lowell	Lyme
People
Population	1,070Lowest	1,710Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+1.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	32.9±6.5Lowest 15% below U.S.	48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S.
Kids under 18	30.7%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22%	19.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	12.3%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	19.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.8%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Lyme and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$57,404±$15kLowest 29% below U.S.	$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$183,400±$33kLowest 45% below U.S.	$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$945±$46Lowest 33% below U.S.	$1,418±$130Highest about the U.S. average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,810Lowest 10% below U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	26.3%±92.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lyme and Lowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	80.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S.	1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	55 minHighest 109% above U.S.	21 minLowest 21% below U.S.
Work from home	7.5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
School district	Lowell School District	Lyme School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.