Compare towns
Lyme vs Amesbury vs Hanover vs Wilmot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 28.7).
Wilmot has the most affordable homes ($400k median).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Lyme | Amesbury | Hanover | Wilmot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,710 |
17,403Highest |
11,685 |
1,487Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +5.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
53±2.4Highest 36% above U.S. |
| Wilmot and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17.1%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Amesbury and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±4.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Wilmot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
$117,759±$15k 46% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
$399,600±$43kLowest 20% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
$1,125±$289Lowest 20% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,360 136% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$6,651Lowest 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±41.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #151 of 282 in MA | #1 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Lyme School District | Amesbury | Dresden School District · Hanover School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Amesbury High | Hanover High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.