Compare towns
Lyme vs Eliot vs Lee
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 expensive homes ($645k median).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Lee has the most homeowners (95.8%).
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 | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
7,146Highest |
4,576 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Eliot 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% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Lee 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% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot 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% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee and Lyme 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±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54k 63% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Lee 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. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61kLowest 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
— |
| 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. |
$9,661 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Lyme 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% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee and Lyme 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 | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lyme School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.