Compare towns
Townsend vs Stratham 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
Townsend has the most affordable homes ($433k median).
Stratham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Townsend | Stratham | Lyme |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,100Highest |
7,754 |
1,710Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
41.6±4.9 7% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
23.5%±5.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stratham and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lyme and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
69.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Townsend and Stratham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,528±$23kLowest 51% above U.S. |
$151,998±$20kHighest 88% 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 | $433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
$655,400±$36kHighest 97% 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 | $1,469±$313 4% above U.S. |
$2,511±$377Highest 78% above U.S. |
$1,418±$130Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,031Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$9,781 214% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.6%±16.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64%±38.2Highest 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 | 8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.3%±6.6 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 | #136 of 282 in MA | #43 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | North Middlesex | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Stratham School District | Lyme School District |
| High school in town | North Middlesex Regional | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— | — |
| 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.