Compare towns
Lyme vs Eliot vs Orford vs Hanover
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 kids (19.5% under 18).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
Hanover has the youngest population (median age 28.7).
Hanover is a college town. 36.9% 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 | Eliot | Orford | Hanover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,710 |
7,146 |
1,295Lowest |
11,685Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
48.9±3.3 26% above U.S. |
28.7±5.1Lowest 26% below U.S. |
| Eliot and Orford 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% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.4%±2.4 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%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.7%±2.8Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
44% U.S.: 35.7% |
88.2%Highest 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%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
36.9%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$92,571±$24kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$169,583±$36kHighest 110% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$271,900±$25kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$824,900±$61kHighest 148% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$1,263±$686Lowest 11% below U.S. |
$2,253±$217Highest 59% above U.S. |
| Hanover and Eliot 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. |
$5,836 87% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
66.4%±17.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hanover 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% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.7%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. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Hanover 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 | — | #1 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lyme School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Rivendell Interstate School District | Dresden School District · Hanover School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Rivendell Academy | Hanover High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5Lowest |
10.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.