Compare towns
Lyme vs Exeter vs Williston
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 expensive homes ($645k median).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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 | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
16,151Highest |
10,144 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| 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%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%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% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Williston 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. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Exeter 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. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Williston 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. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
$5,592Lowest 79% 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% |
46.9%±17.4Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Lyme School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.