Town · Connecticut
Old Lyme, Connecticut
Old Lyme, town, in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut. Old Lyme had 7,702 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 7,628 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 7,679 (±18). GEOID 0913057040.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
7,702
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 7,628 · ACS 2020-2024: 7,679 ±18
Median household income
$131,899
±$11,250 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $95,781
Median home value
$484,200
±$21,146 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $366,900
Median gross rent
$2,238
±$295 (90% margin)
Connecticut: $1,488
Where is Old Lyme and what county is it in?
Old Lyme is a town in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, Connecticut. It covers 23.0 square miles of land, 331 residents per square mile in 2020.
Old Lyme is in the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (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 Old Lyme, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 7,702 people lived in Old Lyme on July 1, 2025, up 1.2% since 2020, slower than Connecticut (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 7,628 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 7,679 (±18).
| Measure | Old Lyme | Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 7,679±18 | 175,822 | – |
| Households | 3,185±201 | 74,068 | – |
| Average household size | 2.40±0.15 | 2.28 | – |
| Housing units | 4,598±269 | 82,963 | – |
Old Lyme's population since 2000
From 7,406 in 2000 to 7,702 in 2025: up 4.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Old 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 Old Lyme?
The median resident of Old Lyme is 50.6 years old; 20.3% are under 18 and 26.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 87.6%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 5.5%. 8.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Old Lyme | Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.6±3.3 | 45.9 | – |
| Under 18 years | 20.3%±2.4 pts | 16.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.4%±3.3 pts | 22.2% | – |
| Male | 47.0%±2.3 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.5%±2.8 pts | 7.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 87.6%±3.9 pts | 79.2% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.4%±0.4 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.4%±1.7 pts | 3.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.1%±2.5 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.7%±2.6 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 9.2%±3.2 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.5%±1.5 pts | 5.8% | – |
| With a disability | 9.7%±2.0 pts | 11.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.4%±1.0 pts | 3.3% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.9%±1.4 pts | 95.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 56.5%±4.9 pts | 46.0% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 30.4%±4.3 pts | 20.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.5%±4.7 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.0%±3.8 pts | 2.4% | – |
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 Old Lyme earn?
Half of Old Lyme's 3,185 households earn less than $131,899 a year (±$11,250), against $104,428 in Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region and $95,781 in Connecticut. 2.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Old Lyme | Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $131,899±$11,250 | $104,428 | – |
| Mean household income | $204,403±$45,573 | $138,522 | – |
| Per capita income | $83,426±$13,345 | $59,075 | – |
| People below the poverty line | 2.9%±1.2 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 1.1%±1.2 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 1.4%±1.3 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.2%±0.7 pts | 95.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 98.8%±0.8 pts | 92.5% | – |
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 Old Lyme?
Owners occupy 88.8% of Old Lyme's occupied homes and renters 11.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $484,200 by its owner (±$21,146). The median renter pays $2,238 a month including utilities, and 37.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Old Lyme | Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $484,200±$21,146 | $379,700 | – |
| Median gross rent | $2,238±$295 | $1,454 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 37.1%±16.8 pts | 40.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,742±$287 | $2,411 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 88.8%±3.0 pts | 75.8% | – |
| Renter-occupied homes | 11.2%±3.0 pts | 24.2% | – |
| Housing units | 4,598±269 | 82,963 | – |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±1.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 7.8%±9.1 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 93.4%±2.8 pts | 72.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.6%±1.8 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.5%±0.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.5%±0.7 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 17.9%±3.6 pts | 19.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.9%±2.5 pts | 5.4% | – |
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 Old Lyme building?
Builders took permits for 30 new housing units in Old Lyme in 2025 (30 in single-family houses), 3.9 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 Old Lyme work and get to work?
70.4% of Old Lyme's workers drive alone and 24.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 27.1 minutes.
| Measure | Old Lyme | Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.7%±4.0 pts | 65.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7%±1.9 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 70.4%±6.2 pts | 71.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.3%±1.5 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.2%±0.9 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Walked | 1.1%±1.1 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 24.2%±6.3 pts | 16.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.1 min±2.6 | 26.0 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 Old Lyme?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Old Lyme (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $121,250 (Tract 6601.01) to $149,750 (Tract 6601.04).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 6601.01Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region | 3,261 | $121,250 |
| Tract 6601.03Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region | 2,813 | $132,027 |
| Tract 6601.04Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region | 1,605 | $149,750 |
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 Old Lyme) · Census block assignment files
How does Old Lyme compare with other places in Connecticut?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Old Lyme is the 1,600th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 87th-most populous of 142 in Connecticut.
Old Lyme ranks 85th 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 | 87th | 142 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 124th | 167 |
| Residents per square mile | 230th | 303 |
| Median household income | 85th | 294 |
| Per capita income | 57th | 303 |
| Median home value | 76th | 300 |
| Median gross rent | 31st | 266 |
| Poverty rate | 187th | 202 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 89th | 297 |
| Median age | 62nd | 301 |
| Owner-occupied share | 65th | 300 |
| Work from home | 69th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 157th | 302 |
Old Lyme's figures with every place in Connecticut (CSV)
Every place in Connecticut, sortable · Compare Old 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 Old Lyme?
17 of the 57 figures for Old 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 Old 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.