Compare towns
Lyme vs Seabrook Beach vs 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 most kids (19.5% under 18).
Seabrook Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Hampton has the most affordable homes ($550k 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 | Seabrook Beach | Hampton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710 |
1,001Lowest |
16,426Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+8.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+5.1% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8Lowest 12% above NH |
62±3.8Highest 43% above NH |
55.8±2.1 29% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
5.2%±3.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
11.6%±2.3 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
42.1%±7.9Highest NH: 20.1% |
30.9%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.6%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
42.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
2.2%±3.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.1%±1.1 NH: 6% |
| Lyme and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
$93,571±$43kLowest 6% below NH |
$95,233±$9k 4% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$920,900±$75kHighest 129% above NH |
$550,200±$39kLowest 37% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,725±$575Highest 16% above NH |
$1,628±$94 9% above NH |
| Seabrook Beach and Hampton 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 |
$6,813Lowest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
90.5%±100Highest NH: 48.2% |
56.8%±10.4 NH: 48.2% |
| Seabrook Beach and Hampton 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% |
7.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
5.6% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.5% NH: 72.8% |
73.8%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1966Lowest 13 yrs older than NH |
1978Highest 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
26 min 3% below NH |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
39.5%±20Highest NH: 16.8% |
21.7%±3.3Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Seabrook Beach and Lyme 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 | — | — | #31 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Lyme School District | — | Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Winnacunnet High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.1 |
| 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.