Compare towns
Madbury vs Lyme vs Eliot vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Madbury has the most kids (29% under 18).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
Eliot has the oldest population (median age 50.8).
Lee has the most homeowners (95.8%).
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 | Madbury | Lyme | Eliot | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,203 |
1,710Lowest |
7,146Highest |
4,576 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 37.7±2.1Lowest 3% below U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.9±1.9 10% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 29%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.9%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Madbury and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 52.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lee and Madbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $148,365±$30kHighest 84% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
$101,522±$10kLowest 26% above U.S. |
$131,579±$54k 63% above U.S. |
| Madbury and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $476,900±$31kLowest 43% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$480,600±$61k 44% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,574±$759 11% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
— |
| Eliot and Madbury 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. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$9,661 210% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.3%±53.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 4% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.6%±8.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lee 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 | — | — | #19 of 133 in ME | #3 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Oyster River Coop School District | Lyme School District | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Oyster River Coop School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 10 photos → |
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.