Compare towns
Lyme vs Keene vs Milford
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%).
Keene has the most affordable homes ($253k median).
Milford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
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 | Keene | Milford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
22,939Highest |
16,337 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
37.6±2.3 13% below NH |
36.8±2.5Lowest 15% below NH |
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.7%±3.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Milford 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 NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
15.1%±1.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
44.1% NH: 40.6% |
37.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
4.2%±1.3 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
$97,768±$14k about the NH average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
$252,500±$12kLowest 37% below NH |
$398,800±$20k about the NH average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
$1,661±$126Highest 11% above NH |
| Milford 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 50% above NH |
$6,812Lowest about the NH average |
$7,522 13% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1Lowest NH: 48.2% |
49.6%±15.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Milford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4% NH: 7.2% |
10.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
64.9% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
1982Highest 3 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 22% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #81 of 120 in NH | #55 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lyme School District | Keene School District | Milford School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Keene High School | Milford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.3Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.