Compare towns
Nottingham vs Dover 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
Nottingham has the most kids (23.9% under 18).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Lyme has the most expensive homes ($645k median).
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 | Nottingham | Dover | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,357 |
33,364Highest |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.3%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 38.8±6.7 10% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
| Lyme and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.9%±5.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
| Nottingham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.4%±4.2 NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.9%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±2.6 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $122,201±$20k 23% above NH |
$94,829±$7kLowest 4% below NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
| Lyme and Nottingham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $457,500±$26k 14% above NH |
$436,700±$20kLowest 8% above NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,068±$1kHighest 39% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
| Nottingham and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,319Lowest 10% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 92.1%±44.9Highest NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
| Nottingham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 13 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 27% above NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.2%±5.8 NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Nottingham 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 | #15 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Nottingham School District | Dover School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Dover Senior High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.