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 7,696 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.

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 people who are both educated and wealthy, and thus tend to be older, richer, and more established than young professionals. "Urban sophisticates" is not just about being educated and well-off financially: it is a point of view and state of mind, one that you might call 'urbaneness'. But such people can and do regularly live in small towns, suburbs and rural areas, as well as in big cities. They read, support the arts and high-end shops, and love travel.

Because of many things, Old Lyme is a great place for families with children to consider. First of all, many other families with children live here, making Old Lyme a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families, as well as find family-oriented services and community. The town’s good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic values. With regard to real estate, Old Lyme has a high rate of owner-occupied single family homes, which tends to reflect stability in the local community. Finally, Old Lyme’s overall crime rate is lower than average for the country.

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.

If knowledge is power, Old Lyme is a pretty powerful place. 53.59% of the adults in Old Lyme have earned a 4-year college degree, masters degree, MD, law degree, or even PhD. Compare that to the national average of 21.84% for all cities and towns.

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.