Compare towns
Lyme vs Williston vs Bow vs Hampton Falls
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%).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Bow has the most kids (25% under 18).
Hampton Falls has the most expensive homes ($773k 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 | Williston | Bow | Hampton Falls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,710Lowest |
10,144Highest |
8,335 |
2,328 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.5±7.3Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Hampton Falls and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bow and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Hampton Falls 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% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Bow 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. |
$106,967±$12kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$166,157±$14k 106% above U.S. |
| Bow and Hampton Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$772,600±$76kHighest 132% above U.S. |
| Hampton Falls and Lyme 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 |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,539±$178 9% above U.S. |
$1,852±$475Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Hampton Falls and Williston 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. |
$5,592Lowest 79% above U.S. |
$9,584 207% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±29.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.2%±22.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lyme and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 21% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.8%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Bow 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #26 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Lyme School District | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Bow School District | Hampton Falls School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Bow High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.