Compare towns
Lyme vs Norwich vs Exeter
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 most people working from home (27.2%).
Norwich has the most kids (24% under 18).
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 | Norwich | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
3,640 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Exeter 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% |
24%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Norwich 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%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Norwich 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 66% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Norwich 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 94% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76k 92% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,460±$322 3% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Norwich 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 221% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814Lowest 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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% |
2.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Norwich 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 | — | #1 of 70 in VT | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lyme School District | Norwich 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 → |
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.