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Data on this report is based on areas within the legal city boundary, outlined in black on the map. Any additional neighborhoods shown on the map are associated with the city by name and are included for reference only.

Old Lyme, CT
Real Estate & Demographic Data






Old Lyme profile


Living in Old Lyme



Old Lyme is a somewhat small coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of Connecticut. With a population of 7,696 people and three associated neighborhoods, Old Lyme is the 112th largest community in Connecticut.

Old Lyme home prices are not only among the most expensive in Connecticut, but Old Lyme real estate also consistently ranks among the most expensive in America.

Also of interest is that Old Lyme has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US.

One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 22.07% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Another notable thing is that Old Lyme is an extremely popular vacation destination. A significant portion of the population is seasonal. During the vacation season, the town experiences a large influx of people who take up residence in second homes they own in the area. As the vacation season ends, the population drops again, leaving behind a substantially quieter and smaller town.

In addition, Old Lyme is home to many people who could be described as "urban sophisticates". Urban sophisticates are people who are both educated and wealthy, and thus tend to be older, richer, and more established than young professionals. "Urban sophisticates" is not just about being educated and well-off financially: it is a point of view and state of mind, one that you might call 'urbaneness'. But such people can and do regularly live in small towns, suburbs and rural areas, as well as in big cities. They read, support the arts and high-end shops, and love travel.

Because of many things, Old Lyme is a very good place for families to consider. With an enviable combination of good schools, low crime, college-educated neighbors who tend to support education because of their own experiences, and a high rate of home ownership in predominantly single-family properties, Old Lyme really has some of the features that families look for when choosing a good community to raise children. Is Old Lyme perfect? Of course not, and if you like frenetic nightlife, it will be far from your cup of tea. But overall this is a solid community, with many things to recommend it as a family-friendly place to live.

One of the nice things about Old Lyme is that it is nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Because of this, visitors and locals will often go to these areas to take in the scenery or to enjoy waterfront activities.

Do you have a 4-year college degree or graduate degree? If so, you may feel right at home in Old Lyme. 53.59% of adults here have a 4-year degree or graduate degree, whereas the national average for all cities and towns is just 21.84%.

The per capita income in Old Lyme in 2022 was $77,384, which is wealthy relative to Connecticut and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $309,536 for a family of four.

The people who call Old Lyme home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Old Lyme residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Old Lyme include Italian, English, Irish, German, and Polish.

The most common language spoken in Old Lyme is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Italian.