Compare towns
Lyme vs Windham vs Jackson vs Meredith
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 kids (18.6% under 18).
Windham has the most people working from home (20.5%).
Jackson has the oldest population (median age 56.9).
Meredith has the most affordable homes ($231k 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 | Windham | Jackson | Meredith |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,066Highest |
594Lowest |
1,695 |
1,467 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | -4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 56.8±6.1 46% above U.S. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
56.9±3.6Highest 46% above U.S. |
54.3±4.6 40% above U.S. |
| Jackson and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±4.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17.5%±7.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±4.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 36.2%±4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.8%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
32.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
33.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lyme and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $81,400±$5k about the U.S. average |
$94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$77,375±$8kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$85,938±$16k 6% above U.S. |
| Windham and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,700±$20k 29% below U.S. |
$353,900±$20kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$235,400±$40k 29% below U.S. |
$230,600±$24kLowest 31% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $838±$190 41% below U.S. |
— | $1,139±$43Highest 19% below U.S. |
$794±$175Lowest 44% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,442Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$4,165 34% above U.S. |
$3,630 16% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±52Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
77.8%±44.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.1%±53.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Jackson and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 8% above U.S. |
27 minLowest about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
33 min 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.