Compare towns
Newington vs Topsham vs Dover vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newington has the most expensive homes ($862k median).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Newington | Topsham | Dover | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 939Lowest |
9,706 |
33,364Highest |
1,710 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.7±10.1Highest 25% above U.S. |
44.7±4 15% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Topsham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 28%±11Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±3.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
50%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
52% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $145,833±$46kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$91,028±$10kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $861,600±$46kHighest 159% above U.S. |
$360,800±$20kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$436,700±$20k 31% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,292±$795Highest 62% above U.S. |
$1,355±$642Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100 14% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
| Newington and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,081 95% above U.S. |
$4,259Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$8,249 164% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.9%±44Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Newington and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 86.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 12% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #66 of 133 in ME | #64 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Newington School District | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Dover School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Ararat High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Lowest |
12.7Highest |
— |
| 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.