Compare towns
Wells vs Lyme vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
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 | Wells | Lyme | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 11,713 |
1,710Lowest |
16,151Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8Highest 38% above U.S. |
48.6±7.8 25% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
| Wells and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Lyme and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.5%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wells and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
70.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$133,906±$15kHighest 66% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$645,000±$64kHighest 94% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$1,418±$130 about the U.S. average |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$8,814 183% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±29.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 4% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
27.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lyme and Exeter 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Lyme School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
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.