The Town Files

East Lyme, Connecticut

Town · population 18,693 (2020 Census)

Map: where East Lyme is in ConnecticutEast Lyme
Median home
$412,600
Household income
$105,044
Jan low / Jul high
23° / 80°
Snow a year
26 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
3
Median age
49.1

East Lyme is a town of 18,693 people, Connecticut. The median home is worth $412,600, above the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). It ranks better for retirees than 89% of Connecticut towns, better for a vacation home than 89% of Connecticut towns, more seaside character than 88% of Connecticut towns.

East Lyme in our rankings:

How East Lyme ranks

Percentile among Connecticut towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Connecticut towns.

East Lyme lifestyle rankings vs other Connecticut townsRetirement89th pctFamilies45th pctQuiet62nd pctWalkability28th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals62nd pctVibrancy50th pctHip & trendy66th pctCollege town34th pctUpscale60th pctVacation homes89th pctSeaside character88th pctCycling77th pctTransit28th pctDriving51st pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in East Lyme is worth $412,600, above the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $105,044, which is more affordable than 36% of Connecticut towns. Median rent is $1,462 a month. 75.6% of households own their home.

East Lyme vs county vs typical Connecticut townEast LymeCountyTypical Connecticut townHome value$412,600$376,000Household income$105,044$109,167Monthly rent$1,462$1,462
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Connecticut towns with 500+ people.
HousingEast LymeTypical Connecticut town
Median home value$412,600$376,000
Median rent$1,462$1,462
Median household income$105,044$109,167
Home value ÷ income3.9×3.6×
Homeownership75.6%80.3%
Median year built19751969
Seasonal / vacation homes10.0%—

Who lives in East Lyme

PeopleEast LymeTypical Connecticut town
Median age49.145.0
Age 65 and over26.1%20.6%
Under 1817.8%—
Bachelor's degree or higher51.3%45.8%
Below the poverty line5.5%5.7%
Veterans8.6%—
Born outside the U.S.9.4%—
Work from home22.2%16.8%
Average commute25.7 min27.6 min
Homes with broadband95.1%93.8%

Weather in East Lyme

July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 23.3°F. About 39.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.6 inches of snow (typical Connecticut town: 39.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 107 nights at or below freezing.

East Lyme monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing38°23°Jan40°25°Feb47°31°Mar56°39°Apr65°49°May74°58°Jun80°65°Jul79°64°Aug74°57°Sep63°46°Oct53°37°Nov44°29°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.76.82.27.93.84.33.60.83.33.33.23.33.83.73.20.43.15.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Groton New London Ap station (9.6 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 2 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of East Lyme since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Connecticut town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 16, 2002 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 16, 2002.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of East Lyme by decade01950s01960s11970s01980s11990s12000s02010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 29, 1969.

Public schools in East Lyme

2 public schools with 1,193 students, about 10.4 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
East Lyme High School9-1292710.2
Flanders SchoolK-426611.1

Towns near East Lyme

East Lyme questions

Is East Lyme, Connecticut a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, East Lyme scores better for retirees than 89% of Connecticut towns and quieter than 62%. 26.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.1).

How much does a house cost in East Lyme?

The median owner-occupied home in East Lyme is valued at $412,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $105,044, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,462 a month.

What is the weather like in East Lyme?

July highs average 79.8°F and January lows 23.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.3 inches of precipitation a year and 25.6 inches of snow.

Does East Lyme get tornadoes?

3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of East Lyme since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 16, 2002. The typical Connecticut town has had 8.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to East Lyme's Census boundary (GEOID 0918023400). Comparisons use the median of Connecticut towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.