Compare towns
New Castle vs Stratham vs Lyme
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).
Stratham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Stratham | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 827Lowest |
7,754Highest |
1,710 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
41.6±4.9Lowest 4% below NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.5%±5.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Stratham and Lyme 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% |
20.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
69.9% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.9%±1.7Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Stratham 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 |
$151,998±$20k 53% above NH |
$133,906±$15kLowest 35% above NH |
| New Castle and Stratham 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 |
$655,400±$36k 63% above NH |
$645,000±$64kLowest 60% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 135% above NH |
$2,511±$377 68% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,509Lowest 28% above NH |
$9,781 47% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
64%±38.2Highest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Stratham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93%Highest NH: 72.8% |
92.6% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 22% above NH |
27 min about the NH average |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
25.3%±6.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4 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 | — | #43 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | New Castle School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.