The Town Files

Old Lyme, Connecticut

Town · population 7,628 (2020 Census)

Map: where Old Lyme is in ConnecticutOld Lyme
Median home
$484,200
Household income
$131,899
Jan low / Jul high
23° / 80°
Snow a year
26 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
4
Median age
50.6

Old Lyme is a town of 7,628 people, Connecticut. The median home is worth $484,200, above the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). It ranks more seaside character than 95% of Connecticut towns, better for retirees than 90% of Connecticut towns, better for a vacation home than 90% of Connecticut towns.

Old Lyme in our rankings:

How Old 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.

Old Lyme lifestyle rankings vs other Connecticut townsRetirement90th pctFamilies77th pctQuiet89th pctWalkability46th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals34th pctVibrancy22nd pctHip & trendy38th pctCollege town23rd pctUpscale68th pctVacation homes90th pctSeaside character95th pctCyclingbottomTransit49th pctDriving26th 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 Old Lyme is worth $484,200, above the typical Connecticut town ($376,000). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $131,899, which is more affordable than 46% of Connecticut towns. Median rent is $2,238 a month. 88.8% of households own their home.

Old Lyme vs county vs typical Connecticut townOld LymeCountyTypical Connecticut townHome value$484,200$376,000Household income$131,899$109,167Monthly rent$2,238$1,462
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Connecticut towns with 500+ people.
HousingOld LymeTypical Connecticut town
Median home value$484,200$376,000
Median rent$2,238$1,462
Median household income$131,899$109,167
Home value ÷ income3.7×3.6×
Homeownership88.8%80.3%
Median year built19651969
Seasonal / vacation homes27.1%—

Who lives in Old Lyme

PeopleOld LymeTypical Connecticut town
Median age50.645.0
Age 65 and over26.4%20.6%
Under 1820.3%—
Bachelor's degree or higher56.5%45.8%
Below the poverty line2.9%5.7%
Veterans5.5%—
Born outside the U.S.8.7%—
Work from home24.2%16.8%
Average commute27.1 min27.6 min
Homes with broadband98.8%93.8%

Weather in Old 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.

Old 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 blue2.76.92.27.93.84.33.60.83.33.33.23.33.83.73.20.43.15.3
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 (13.4 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 2 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Old Lyme since 1950, compared with 8 for the typical Connecticut town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 30, 1998 about 1.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 30, 1998.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Old Lyme by decade01950s01960s11970s11980s21990s02000s02010s02020s
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 11 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on June 26, 1988.

Public schools in Old Lyme

4 public schools with 1,074 students, about 10.7 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Lyme-Old Lyme High School9-123929.8
Mile Creek SchoolK-531112.0
Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School6-82729.7
Center SchoolPK-PK9916.5

Towns near Old Lyme

Old Lyme questions

Is Old Lyme, Connecticut a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Old Lyme scores better for retirees than 90% of Connecticut towns and quieter than 89%. 26.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.6).

How much does a house cost in Old Lyme?

The median owner-occupied home in Old Lyme is valued at $484,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $131,899, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $2,238 a month.

What is the weather like in Old 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 Old Lyme get tornadoes?

4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Old Lyme since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 30, 1998. The typical Connecticut town has had 8.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Old Lyme's Census boundary (GEOID 0913057040). 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.