Population 170 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in South Lyme
Household size in South Lyme
| Period | South Lyme | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.96 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.45 | 2.61 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.28 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.36 | 2.55 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.40 | −0.02 | −0.03 |
South Lyme is a place of small households, averaging 2.36 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has climbed from 1.96 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in South Lyme
| Period | South Lyme | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.6 | 40.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 56.9 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 53.6 | 42.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.4 | 42.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | −6.2 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
South Lyme skews older: half of its residents are older than 49.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in South Lyme
| Period | South Lyme | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 11.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.7% | 11.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 10.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.1% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in South Lyme: 2.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in South Lyme
Renters in South Lyme
| Period | South Lyme | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 32.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 1.1% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −11.1 pts | +2.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 1.1% of households in South Lyme rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly three in ten owners (28.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in South Lyme
| Period | South Lyme | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 68.0% | 8.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 75.4% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 76.6% | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.4% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −39.6 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in South Lyme: 28.4% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in South Lyme
| Period | South Lyme | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1948 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1944 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1947 | 1964 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +21 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in South Lyme is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1969, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. That is in line with the rest of Connecticut.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in South Lyme
| Period | South Lyme | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,305 | $1,127 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,228 | $1,218 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,198 | $1,380 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,198 | $1,702 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$893 | +$575 | +$606 |
The median renter in South Lyme pays $2,198 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 32.8% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in South Lyme
Bachelor's degrees in South Lyme
| Period | South Lyme | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.8% | 35.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 46.3% | 37.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.9% | 39.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 62.4% | 42.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.7 pts | +6.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in South Lyme: 62.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in South Lyme
| Period | South Lyme | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.4% | 88.1% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.5% | 89.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.4% | 90.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.4% | 91.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +3.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in South Lyme: 98.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in South Lyme
| Period | South Lyme | Connecticut | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.7% | 7.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 9.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.2% | 6.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.6% | 5.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in South Lyme has been low: just 1.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
South Lyme compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Lyme | 2.36 | 49.4 | 2.1% | 1.1% | 28.4% | 1969 | $2,198 | 62.4% | 98.4% | 1.6% |
| Giants Neck | 1.84 | 38.4 | 23.5% | 71.5% | 0.5% | 2012 | $751 | 15.3% | 89.2% | 0.0% |
| Niantic | 2.12 | 52.9 | 4.8% | 23.2% | 17.3% | 1969 | $1,732 | 48.8% | 98.0% | 2.2% |
| Laysville | 2.52 | 47.0 | 12.0% | 19.7% | 9.7% | 1977 | $2,175 | 49.0% | 99.7% | 1.9% |
| Old Lyme | 2.40 | 51.9 | 4.9% | 10.3% | 23.5% | 1967 | $2,316 | 58.1% | 98.0% | 2.6% |
| Millstone | 1.95 | 57.1 | 5.3% | 15.0% | 22.4% | 1957 | $1,674 | 50.3% | 90.1% | 10.2% |
| Fenwick | 2.26 | 61.4 | 4.6% | 8.8% | 39.8% | 1955 | $1,596 | 60.9% | 99.1% | 2.5% |
| East Lyme | 2.43 | 44.9 | 7.8% | 24.3% | 4.3% | 1981 | $1,612 | 58.6% | 97.5% | 3.7% |
| Waterford | 2.34 | 46.3 | 6.3% | 21.8% | 9.4% | 1970 | $1,633 | 41.9% | 96.4% | 5.7% |
| Old Saybrook | 2.30 | 55.0 | 5.2% | 15.0% | 23.2% | 1970 | $1,815 | 56.6% | 96.0% | 2.6% |
| Pleasure Beach | 2.52 | 45.6 | 12.4% | 18.3% | 8.5% | 1972 | $1,733 | 50.4% | 96.2% | 6.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Port Alsworth, AK · Powys, PA · Powells Crossroads, AL · Powell, WI · Potter, NY · Portland, CO · Porter, KY · Portage Entry, MI · Port Stanley, WA · Port Jenkins, PA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up South Lyme. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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