Compare towns
Seabrook vs Meredith 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
Seabrook has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).
Lyme has the highest household income ($134k).
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 | Seabrook | Meredith | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,427Highest |
6,758 |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+6.7%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±1.9 25% above NH |
55.5±3.7Highest 28% above NH |
48.6±7.8Lowest 12% above NH |
| Meredith and Seabrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±3.1 NH: 18.2% |
12.6%±3.3Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Seabrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.5%±5 NH: 20.1% |
34.2%±5Highest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Meredith and Seabrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
45.9% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.3Lowest NH: 6% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Highest NH: 6% |
| Lyme and Seabrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,349±$15kLowest 15% below NH |
$87,019±$19k 12% below NH |
$133,906±$15kHighest 35% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $443,500±$40kLowest 10% above NH |
$480,100±$48k 19% above NH |
$645,000±$64kHighest 60% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,542±$174Highest 3% above NH |
$1,149±$304Lowest 23% below NH |
$1,418±$130 5% below NH |
| Seabrook and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,785 13% below NH |
$5,006Lowest 25% below NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±10 NH: 48.2% |
48.5%±9.2Lowest NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Seabrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.7% NH: 7.2% |
4.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
75.8% NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 7 yrs newer than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below NH |
26 minHighest about the NH average |
21 min 22% below NH |
| Work from home | 10.5%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
23.7%±4.9 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Meredith 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 | #114 of 120 in NH | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Seabrook School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.