Compare towns
Lyme vs Newington vs Exeter
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%).
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Newington | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710 |
939Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+7.7% NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
48.7±10.1Highest 12% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.7%±4.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Exeter 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% |
28%±11Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Newington 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% |
62.4% NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Newington 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 |
$145,833±$46kHighest 47% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| Newington 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 |
$861,600±$46kHighest 114% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$2,292±$795Highest 54% above NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Newington and Exeter 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 |
$6,081Lowest 9% below NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
62.9%±44Highest NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Newington and Exeter 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% |
4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5% NH: 72.8% |
86.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below NH |
23 min 13% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
8%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Exeter 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 |
| School district | Lyme School District | Newington School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.