Compare towns
Lyme vs Eliot vs Hampton Beach
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 highest household income ($134k).
Eliot has the most affordable homes ($499k median).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
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 | Eliot | Hampton Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
7,146Highest |
2,605 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8Lowest 25% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Eliot 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% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lyme and Eliot 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. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$82,557±$17kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$508,900±$76k 53% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,375±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Eliot 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. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$6,115 96% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Eliot 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% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Hampton Beach 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Lyme School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.