Compare towns
Plymouth vs South Hampton 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
Plymouth has the most affordable homes ($292k median).
South Hampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.8%).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Plymouth is a college town. 33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Plymouth | South Hampton | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,601Highest |
984Lowest |
1,710 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+9.8%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 24.6±3.4Lowest 43% below NH |
45.1±5.3 4% above NH |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
| Lyme and South Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.6%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
23.3%±5.8Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
| South Hampton and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 12%±2.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.5%±1.4 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54% NH: 40.6% |
52.4%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 33.7%±3.5Highest NH: 6% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,027±$26kLowest 22% below NH |
$152,500±$44kHighest 54% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
| South Hampton and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,400±$22kLowest 27% below NH |
$661,100±$45kHighest 64% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
| South Hampton and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,108±$255Lowest 26% below NH |
$1,889±$489Highest 27% above NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
| South Hampton and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,288Lowest 6% below NH |
$9,109 37% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.8%±11.6 NH: 48.2% |
30%±40.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Plymouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.3%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 56.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
88.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 2 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 31% below NH |
28 minHighest 6% above NH |
21 min 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.7%±3.6Lowest NH: 16.8% |
17%±3.9 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Plymouth School District · Pemi-Baker Regional School District | South Hampton School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | Plymouth Regional High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.