Compare towns
Lyme vs Madbury vs Newmarket vs Orford
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%).
Madbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Newmarket has the most renters (47.1% rent).
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 | Madbury | Newmarket | Orford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,710 |
2,203 |
9,463Highest |
1,295Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% NH: +4.6% |
+8.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
0%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
37.7±2.1Lowest 13% below NH |
41.2±1.9 5% below NH |
48.9±3.3Highest 13% above NH |
| Orford and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
29%±5.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
14.3%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.1%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
25.5%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Orford 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 NH: 40.6% |
52.6% NH: 40.6% |
49.7% NH: 40.6% |
44%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±1.8 NH: 6% |
5.6%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
5%±2.1 NH: 6% |
| Newmarket 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±$15k 35% above NH |
$148,365±$30kHighest 50% above NH |
$100,845±$13k about the NH average |
$92,571±$24kLowest 7% below NH |
| Madbury and Lyme 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 |
$476,900±$31k 18% above NH |
$455,000±$22k 13% above NH |
$271,900±$25kLowest 32% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,574±$759 6% above NH |
$1,671±$69Highest 12% above NH |
$1,263±$686Lowest 15% below NH |
| Newmarket and Madbury 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 |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,734 31% above NH |
$5,836Lowest 12% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
16.7%±15.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
46.3%±8.3 NH: 48.2% |
37.8%±10.7 NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Newmarket 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% |
4.9% NH: 7.2% |
4.6% NH: 7.2% |
5.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5% NH: 72.8% |
82.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below NH |
25 min 5% below NH |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
14%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
17.3%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #39 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Lyme School District | Oyster River Coop School District | Newmarket School District | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Newmarket Jr.-Sr. High School | Rivendell Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.9Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.