Compare towns
Lyme vs Durham vs Hartford 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).
Hartford has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Hartford | Dorchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,710 |
15,080Highest |
10,736 |
410Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
20.8±0.3Lowest 47% below U.S. |
43.2±3.9 11% 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%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18%±3 U.S.: 22% |
11.2%±4.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Hartford 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% |
22.5%±3.3 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% |
47.6% 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% |
4.9%±1.7 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. |
$78,125±$7kLowest 3% below 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. |
$304,500±$26k 8% below U.S. |
$139,600±$133kLowest 58% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,429±$143Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,218±$118Lowest 14% below U.S. |
— |
| Durham 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$5,773 85% 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%±16Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±12.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Durham and Lyme 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% |
11.1% 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% |
67.8% 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. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
19 min 27% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 30% below 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% |
13.9%±3.5 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 | #34 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Lyme School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Hartford School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Oyster River High School | Hartford High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
9.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.