Compare towns
Lyme vs Meredith vs North Hampton
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Meredith has the most affordable homes ($480k median).
North Hampton has the most homeowners (91.3%).
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 | Meredith | North Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
6,758Highest |
4,543 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8Lowest 12% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
50.5±3.3 17% above NH |
| Meredith and North Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.2%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and North Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
26%±4.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Lyme 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% |
45.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
54.5% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2 NH: 6% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest NH: 6% |
| Lyme and Meredith 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 |
$87,019±$19kLowest 12% below NH |
$146,458±$29kHighest 48% above NH |
| North Hampton 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±$64k 60% above NH |
$480,100±$48kLowest 19% above NH |
$670,400±$61kHighest 67% above NH |
| North Hampton and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 5% below NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,805±$106Highest 21% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$8,529 28% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2 NH: 48.2% |
23.5%±21Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Meredith 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% |
7.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5% NH: 72.8% |
75.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
25 min 8% below NH |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9Lowest NH: 16.8% |
25.9%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and North Hampton 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 | — | #62 of 120 in NH | #12 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lyme School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | North Hampton School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.