Compare towns
Lyme vs Dover vs Wells
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%).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Dover | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
33,364Highest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Wells and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
| Dover and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #64 of 120 in NH | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lyme School District | Dover School District | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7Highest |
11.4Lowest |
| 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.