Compare towns
New Castle vs Lyme vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | New Castle | Lyme | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 827Lowest |
1,710 |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| New Castle and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.8% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
| Exeter and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $176,953±$29kHighest 79% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| New Castle and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 135% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,509Lowest 28% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| New Castle 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 | — | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | New Castle School District | Lyme School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.