Compare towns
Lyme vs South Eliot vs Orford
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%).
South Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Orford has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | South Eliot | Orford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,710 |
4,203Highest |
1,295Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
0%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8Lowest 25% above U.S. |
55.5±8Highest 43% above U.S. |
48.9±3.3 26% above U.S. |
| South Eliot and Orford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
32.8%±6.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.5%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| South Eliot 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
49.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
44%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Orford and Lyme 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 66% above U.S. |
$99,299±$9k 23% above U.S. |
$92,571±$24kLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$475,600±$52k 43% above U.S. |
$271,900±$25kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$2,155±$292Highest 53% above U.S. |
$1,263±$686Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,442Lowest 42% above U.S. |
$5,836 87% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
37.8%±10.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Eliot and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
26 minHighest 3% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±4.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Lyme School District | — | Rivendell Interstate School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Rivendell Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.