Monthly Archives: September 2022

Lyme is Aging

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I had an opportunity to look at the Census data for Lyme. I charted the data for 2010 and 2020.

Here’s what I see in this data:

  • Lyme’s median age is now 46.5 years, having increased by three and a half years between 2010 and 2020. Today’s median age is even above the New Hampshire median of 43.1 years, and much higher than the national value of 38.8 years. Wikipedia
  • Lyme’s population decreased in that decade.
  • Like most of NH, a significant number of 20-30 year olds moved away. The loss of 20-24 year olds is particularly acute in Lyme.
  • The chart shows a significant loss of 40-60 year olds over the decade. These people typically have reached a stable point in their lives, and provide vitality and leadership for a town.
  • At the same time, there is a large increase in 65-75 year olds. Although the joke goes, “Seventy is the new fifty…” this population will use increasingly larger amounts of service.
  • There is a significant decrease in the number of school age children, following the demographic trends across the country.

Are any of these trends important for Lyme’s future?

The raw data was retrieved from US Census, American Community Survey at: https://bit.ly/LymeCensus-2010-2020


Feel free to share this post on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or email. Any opinions expressed here are solely my own, and not those of any public body, such as the Lyme Planning Board, Budget Committee, or Trustees of the Trust Funds where I volunteer. I would be interested to hear your thoughts – you can reach me at richb.lyme@gmail.com.

Pleased by Solar Energy Amendment

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I am pleased by the work by the Lyme Planning Board has done regarding a proposed Solar Energy amendment. This change to the ordinance will need approval at Town Meeting in March 2023 go into effect.

The new language will permit individuals to install up to 40 kW of solar panels with minimal regulation. (A solar installation for an “average home” is typically between 6kW and 15kW, and would provide adequate energy for electric heat pumps and charging electric vehicles.) The panels of a 40kW would have a footprint of approximately 2,000 square feet – about the size of a modest barn. If you could install a barn of that size, you will only need a zoning permit install a similar size array. This draft language is fairly well complete.

Larger arrays (up to 400kW, with footprints of up to 20,000 square feet) would be allowed with a Conditional Use Permit. The language permitting these larger arrays is still a work in progress to be discussed at upcoming Planning Board meetings, notably September 8 and 22.

Here are links to the relevant documents:

I would be curious to hear your thoughts about this proposal. Thanks!


Feel free to share this post on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, or email. Any opinions expressed here are solely my own, and not those of any public body, such as the Lyme Planning Board, Budget Committee, or Trustees of the Trust Funds where I volunteer. I would be interested to hear your thoughts – you can reach me at richb.lyme@gmail.com.