Compare towns
Lyme vs Eliot vs Portsmouth
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
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 | Portsmouth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
7,146 |
22,545Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.9±2Lowest 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%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14%±1.9Lowest 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% |
21.9%±2.4Lowest 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% |
64% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Portsmouth 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. |
$106,219±$7k 32% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62kLowest 50% above U.S. |
$688,500±$39kHighest 107% above U.S. |
| Portsmouth and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,869±$111 32% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Portsmouth 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. |
$8,018 157% 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% |
50.4%±7.2Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
51.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
23 minHighest 15% below U.S. |
22 min 16% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Portsmouth 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 | #11 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lyme School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Portsmouth School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
| 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.