What stands out worked out from the figures below

Lyme has the most affordable homes ($630k median).

Saugatuck has the most expensive homes ($1756k 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.

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

Measure	Lyme	Saugatuck
People
Population	2,303Lowest	2,925Highest
Median age	55.6±3.3Highest 35% above CT	50.7±7.6Lowest 23% above CT
	Lyme and Saugatuck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.1%±2.4Lowest CT: 20.2%	20.4%±5Highest CT: 20.2%
	Saugatuck and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.7%±4.5Highest CT: 18.5%	22.7%±5.1Lowest CT: 18.5%
	Lyme and Saugatuck are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	63.5%Lowest CT: 42.5%	74.6%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%	2.3%±1.7Highest CT: 7.1%
	Saugatuck and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$135,000±$22kLowest 41% above CT	$250,001Highest 161% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$629,900±$105kLowest 72% above CT	$1,756,400±$353kHighest 379% above CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,719±$1kLowest 16% above CT	$2,213±$219Highest 49% above CT
	Saugatuck and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,328Lowest 10% above CT	$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	32.9%±44.3Lowest CT: 52.6%	45%±21.6Highest CT: 52.6%
	Saugatuck and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	2.9%Highest CT: 10%	2.4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.8%Highest CT: 66.5%	84.5%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest same as CT	1970Highest 3 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minLowest 17% above CT	47 minHighest 78% above CT
Work from home	27.6%±10Lowest CT: 16%	42.7%±12.1Highest CT: 16%
	Saugatuck and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Regional School District 18	—
High school in town	None in town	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

CT 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.