Compare towns
Lyme vs Exeter vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% 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 | Exeter | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
16,151Highest |
15,080 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
20.8±0.3Lowest 52% below NH |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
10.3%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
11.5%±1.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.1% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
75.4%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
55.1%±3.2Highest NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
$124,056±$21k 25% above NH |
| Lyme and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
$504,300±$41k 25% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
$1,429±$143 4% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814Lowest 32% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
66.4%±16Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Durham and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
15.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
64.4%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
19 minLowest 27% below NH |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
19.4%±3.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Exeter 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #9 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lyme School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Oyster River High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
12.3Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 51 photos → |
NH 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.