Compare towns
North Hampton 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
North Hampton has the most homeowners (91.3%).
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 | North Hampton | Lyme | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,543 |
1,710Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 50.5±3.3Highest 17% above NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
45.8±2.3Lowest 6% above NH |
| North Hampton and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±5.4 NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and North Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26%±4.9 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and North Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.5Lowest 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 | $146,458±$29kHighest 48% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$110,346±$13kLowest 11% above NH |
| North Hampton and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $670,400±$61kHighest 67% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| North Hampton and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,805±$106 21% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,856±$223Highest 24% above NH |
| Exeter and North Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,529Lowest 28% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.5%±21Lowest 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 | 2.9%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 8% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
25 minHighest 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 25.9%±6.9 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and North Hampton 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 | #12 of 120 in NH | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | North Hampton 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.