Compare towns
Lyme vs Pelham vs Londonderry
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).
Pelham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Londonderry has the most affordable homes ($470k 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 | Pelham | Londonderry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
14,449Highest |
12,225 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+10.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
41.5±2.7Lowest 4% below NH |
42.4±1 about the NH average |
| Lyme and Londonderry 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% |
22%±2.7Highest NH: 18.2% |
18.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Pelham 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% |
16.5%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±2Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
5.9%±1.3 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
| Londonderry and Pelham 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 |
$135,956±$19kHighest 37% above NH |
$119,571±$13kLowest 21% above NH |
| Pelham 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 |
$552,600±$27k 37% above NH |
$469,500±$23kLowest 17% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,425±$88 4% below NH |
$1,952±$135Highest 31% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,634 30% above NH |
$7,568Lowest 14% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.3%±12.5Highest NH: 48.2% |
60.6%±13.9 NH: 48.2% |
| Pelham and Londonderry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.7% NH: 7.2% |
2.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
86.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
83.8% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1983 4 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below NH |
30 minHighest 10% above NH |
28 min 4% above NH |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
22.8%±3.3 NH: 16.8% |
20.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Pelham 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 | — | #48 of 120 in NH | #37 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lyme School District | Pelham School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Pelham High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4 |
— |
| 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.