Compare towns
Lyme vs Harvard vs Newfields
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Harvard has the most people working from home (44.8%).
Newfields has the most homeowners (95.3%).
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 | Harvard | Newfields |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
6,927Highest |
2,023 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
44.1±4.7Lowest 13% above U.S. |
44.1±1.8Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Harvard 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% |
21.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Harvard 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% |
16.3%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
62%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Newfields and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,906±$15kLowest 66% above U.S. |
$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$197,885±$15k 145% above U.S. |
| Harvard and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64kLowest 94% above U.S. |
$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S. |
$646,400±$34k 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,321±$424Lowest 7% below U.S. |
$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+ at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+ at least 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+ at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.5%±51.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.3%±40.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Harvard 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% |
4.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #12 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Lyme School District | Harvard | Newfields School District |
| High school in town | None in town | The Bromfield High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.0 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 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.