Compare towns
Lyme vs Eliot vs Wilmot 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%).
Eliot has the most renters (20.2% rent).
Dorchester has the most affordable homes ($140k median).
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 | Wilmot | Dorchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,710 |
7,146Highest |
1,487 |
410Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
— |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8Lowest 25% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
53±2.4 36% above U.S. |
56±10.5Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Dorchester and Wilmot 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% |
17.1%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.2%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Wilmot 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%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
39.8%±15.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dorchester 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% |
58.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.8%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% |
3%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lyme and Wilmot 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. |
$117,759±$15k 46% above U.S. |
— |
| Lyme and Wilmot 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. |
$399,600±$43k 20% above U.S. |
$139,600±$133kLowest 58% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,125±$289Lowest 20% below 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. |
$4,549 46% above U.S. |
$6,651 113% above U.S. |
$3,779Lowest 21% 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% |
41.1%±41.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
18.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
40 minHighest 52% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.2%±8.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Wilmot 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 | 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.