Compare towns
Stratham vs Kittery vs Lyme
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Stratham has the most kids (23.5% under 18).
Kittery has the most affordable homes ($469k median).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
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 | Stratham | Kittery | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,754 |
10,473Highest |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.6±4.9Lowest 7% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Kittery and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 69.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Kittery and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $151,998±$20kHighest 88% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15k 66% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $655,400±$36kHighest 97% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31kLowest 41% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64k 94% above U.S. |
| Stratham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $9,781 214% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 64%±38.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stratham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
21 min 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.3%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Stratham 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 | #43 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Kittery Public Schools | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.