Compare towns
Lyme vs Exeter vs Ogunquit vs Orford
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).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Exeter | Ogunquit | Orford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,710 |
16,151Highest |
1,379 |
1,295Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
48.9±3.3 26% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Orford 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. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$92,571±$24kLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Ogunquit 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. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$271,900±$25kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
— | $1,263±$686Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$4,473Lowest 43% above U.S. |
$5,836 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±10.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
26 min 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Lyme School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | — | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | — | Rivendell Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
— | 9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.