Old Lyme is a somewhat small coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of Connecticut. With a population of 7,721 people and three associated neighborhoods, Old Lyme is the 112th largest community in Connecticut. Housing costs in Old Lyme are among some of the highest in the nation, although real estate prices here don't compare to real estate prices in the most expensive communities in Connecticut.Old Lyme is a decidedly white-collar town, with fully 86.36% of the workforce employed in white-collar jobs, well above the national average. Overall, Old Lyme is a town of professionals, managers, and sales and office workers. There are especially a lot of people living in Old Lyme who work in management occupations (16.51%), sales jobs (10.40%), and teaching (7.88%). Also of interest is that Old Lyme has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US. One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 22.07% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes. Another notable thing is that Old Lyme is an extremely popular vacation destination. A significant portion of the population is seasonal. During the vacation season, the town experiences a large influx of people who take up residence in second homes they own in the area. As the vacation season ends, the population drops again, leaving behind a substantially quieter and smaller town. In addition, Old Lyme is home to many people who could be described as "urban sophisticates". Urban sophisticates are educated, wealthy, executives and professionals, who have urbane tastes in books, food, and travel, whether they actually live in a big city, or choose to reside in a small town. In big or medium-sized cities, urban sophisticates tend to frequent art institutions such as opera, symphonies, ballet, live theatre, and museums. Old Lyme is a good choice for families with children because of several factors. Many other families with children live here, making it a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families. The town’s good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic success. Many people own their own single-family homes, providing areas for children to play and stability in the community. Finally, Old Lyme’s overall crime rate ranks among the lowest in the country, making it one of the safest places to raise a family. Old Lyme is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities. Do you like to read, write and learn? If you move to Old Lyme, you'll likely find that many of your neighbors like to as well. Old Lyme is one of the more educated communities in America, with a full 53.59% of its adults having a college degree or even advanced degree, compared to a national average across all communities of 21.84%. The per capita income in Old Lyme in 2022 was $77,384, which is wealthy relative to Connecticut and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $309,536 for a family of four. The people who call Old Lyme home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Old Lyme residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Old Lyme include Italian, English, Irish, German, and Polish. The most common language spoken in Old Lyme is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Italian.
