Compare towns
Windham vs Lyme vs New Castle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.4%).
Lyme has the shortest commute (21 min average).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
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 | Windham | Lyme | New Castle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,038Highest |
1,710 |
827Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+3.3% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9Lowest 5% below NH |
48.6±7.8 12% above NH |
62.8±6Highest 45% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4 NH: 18.2% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| New Castle and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
68.8% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8Highest NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9 NH: 6% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
| Windham and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$133,906±$15kLowest 35% above NH |
$176,953±$29k 79% above NH |
| Windham and New Castle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50k 80% above NH |
$645,000±$64kLowest 60% above NH |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350 116% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$3,501Highest 135% above NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,509Lowest 28% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8Highest NH: 48.2% |
0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Lyme and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.6%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
80.5%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
93% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 15% above NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
33 minHighest 22% above NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4 NH: 16.8% |
40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
| New Castle and Lyme 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Windham School District | Lyme School District | New Castle School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8 |
— | — |
| 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.