Compare towns
Lyme vs Durham vs Amesbury vs Dorchester
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%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Amesbury has the most kids (20% under 18).
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Durham | Amesbury | Dorchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,710 |
15,080 |
17,403Highest |
410Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
56±10.5Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Dorchester 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% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.2%±4.4 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%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.2%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
39.8%±15.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dorchester 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
55.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$124,056±$21k 54% above U.S. |
$103,554±$12kLowest 28% above U.S. |
— |
| Lyme and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$504,300±$41k 52% above U.S. |
$519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$139,600±$133kLowest 58% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,429±$143 about the U.S. average |
$1,683±$115Highest 19% above U.S. |
— |
| Amesbury and Durham 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$7,360 136% above U.S. |
$3,779Lowest 21% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±16 U.S.: 51.1% |
66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Durham 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% |
15.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
68.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 27% below U.S. |
29 min 10% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Durham 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 | — | #9 of 120 in NH | #151 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Lyme School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Amesbury | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | Amesbury High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
10.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 51 photos → | 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.