Town · Connecticut
East Lyme, Connecticut
East Lyme, town, in Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut. East Lyme had 19,223 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 18,693 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 18,721 (±47). GEOID 0918023400.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
19,223
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 18,693 · ACS 2020-2024: 18,721 ±47
Median household income
$105,044
±$12,623 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $95,781
Median home value
$412,600
±$17,965 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $366,900
Median gross rent
$1,462
±$94 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $1,488
Where is East Lyme and what county is it in?
East Lyme is a town in Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut. It covers 34.0 square miles of land, 550 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside East Lyme: Niantic (CDP, 3,194 in 2020).
East Lyme is in the Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in East Lyme, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 19,223 people lived in East Lyme on July 1, 2025, up 2.8% since 2020, faster than Connecticut (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 18,693 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 18,721 (±47).
| Measure | East Lyme | Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 18,721±47 | 279,971 | – |
| Households | 8,004±303 | 115,768 | – |
| Average household size | 2.23±0.08 | 2.32 | – |
| Housing units | 9,283±326 | 126,425 | – |
East Lyme's population since 2000
From 18,118 in 2000 to 19,223 in 2025: up 6.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for East Lyme as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in East Lyme?
The median resident of East Lyme is 49.1 years old; 17.8% are under 18 and 26.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 79.4%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 6.8%. 9.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | East Lyme | Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.1±2.4 | 41.1 | – |
| Under 18 years | 17.8%±1.7 pts | 19.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.1%±2.9 pts | 19.5% | – |
| Male | 45.0%±1.6 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.4%±2.3 pts | 15.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 79.4%±3.5 pts | 70.6% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.8%±0.9 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 6.8%±2.1 pts | 3.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.2%±1.2 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.3%±1.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 9.4%±1.5 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 12.1%±2.5 pts | 15.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.6%±1.6 pts | 8.0% | – |
| With a disability | 14.1%±1.9 pts | 14.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.2%±1.1 pts | 4.7% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.6%±0.8 pts | 92.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 51.3%±3.4 pts | 35.8% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 24.0%±2.8 pts | 16.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.3%±1.8 pts | 88.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.8%±0.7 pts | 3.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in East Lyme earn?
Half of East Lyme's 8,004 households earn less than $105,044 a year (±$12,623), against $86,586 in Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region and $95,781 in Connecticut. 5.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | East Lyme | Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $105,044±$12,623 | $86,586 | – |
| Mean household income | $138,289±$10,191 | $111,769 | – |
| Per capita income | $59,442±$3,807 | $47,133 | – |
| People below the poverty line | 5.5%±2.0 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.5%±4.4 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.7%±1.4 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.7%±1.2 pts | 95.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.1%±1.8 pts | 91.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in East Lyme?
Owners occupy 75.6% of East Lyme's occupied homes and renters 24.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $412,600 by its owner (±$17,965). The median renter pays $1,462 a month including utilities, and 53.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | East Lyme | Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $412,600±$17,965 | $323,400 | – |
| Median gross rent | $1,462±$94 | $1,365 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 53.0%±10.6 pts | 40.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,448±$123 | $2,140 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 75.6%±3.7 pts | 65.1% | – |
| Renter-occupied homes | 24.4%±3.7 pts | 34.9% | – |
| Housing units | 9,283±326 | 126,425 | – |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.9%±0.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.6%±4.1 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 76.4%±3.3 pts | 61.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±0.5 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.3%±1.0 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.4%±2.1 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 12.0%±2.7 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.2%±1.2 pts | 7.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is East Lyme building?
Builders took permits for 44 new housing units in East Lyme in 2025 (28 in single-family houses), 2.3 per 1,000 residents against 2.0 across Connecticut.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in East Lyme work and get to work?
70.1% of East Lyme's workers drive alone and 22.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.7 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.2%.
| Measure | East Lyme | Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.3%±3.0 pts | 64.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2%±1.5 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 70.1%±4.2 pts | 75.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 6.0%±2.2 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.4%±0.5 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Walked | 0.2%±0.2 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 22.2%±3.4 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.7 min±1.6 | 23.9 min | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in East Lyme?
5 census tracts lie mostly in East Lyme (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $86,834 (Tract 8707.04) to $142,159 (Tract 8707.03).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 7161.02Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | 5,656 | $125,640 |
| Tract 7161.01Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | 5,425 | $91,027 |
| Tract 8707.04Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | 3,963 | $86,834 |
| Tract 8707.01Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | 2,100 | $96,579 |
| Tract 8707.03Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region | 1,577 | $142,159 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in East Lyme) · Census block assignment files
How does East Lyme compare with other places in Connecticut?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, East Lyme is the 618th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 38th-most populous of 142 in Connecticut.
East Lyme ranks 166th of 294 places in Connecticut with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 38th | 142 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 54th | 167 |
| Residents per square mile | 193rd | 303 |
| Median household income | 166th | 294 |
| Per capita income | 134th | 303 |
| Median home value | 114th | 300 |
| Median gross rent | 135th | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 125th | 202 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 117th | 297 |
| Median age | 74th | 301 |
| Owner-occupied share | 179th | 300 |
| Work from home | 82nd | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 182nd | 302 |
East Lyme's figures with every place in Connecticut (CSV)
Every place in Connecticut, sortable · Compare East Lyme with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for East Lyme?
9 of the 57 figures for East Lyme on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for East Lyme are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.