What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sandwich has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).

Lyme has the most kids (19.5% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Sandwich	Lyme
People
Population	1,757Highest	1,710Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.6%Highest NH: +4.6%	+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	63.6±2.8Highest 47% above NH	48.6±7.8Lowest 12% above NH
Kids under 18	7%±3Lowest NH: 18.2%	19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	46.6%±8.9Highest NH: 20.1%	26.5%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	63.3%Lowest NH: 40.6%	70.1%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±3Highest NH: 6%	3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6%
	Sandwich and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$140,694±$22kHighest 42% above NH	$133,906±$15kLowest 35% above NH
	Sandwich and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$437,700±$79kLowest 9% above NH	$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,679±$1kHighest 13% above NH	$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH
	Sandwich and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,494Lowest 33% below NH	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	56.4%±41.6Highest NH: 48.2%	52.8%±29.8Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Sandwich and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.2%Highest NH: 7.2%	4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	94%Highest NH: 72.8%	80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Lowest 8 yrs older than NH	1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above NH	21 minLowest 22% below NH
Work from home	36.1%±16.9Highest NH: 16.8%	27.2%±5.4Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Sandwich and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District	Lyme School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.