What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brookline has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13%).

New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Brookline	New Castle
People
Population	5,736Highest	827Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+13%Highest NH: +4.6%	+3.3%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	41.2±1.5Lowest 5% below NH	62.8±6Highest 45% above NH
Kids under 18	26.7%±4Highest NH: 18.2%	12.9%±7.1Lowest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	11.4%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1%	44.3%±16.1Highest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.7%Lowest NH: 40.6%	68.8%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.3%±3.2Highest NH: 6%	0.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$171,046±$4kLowest 73% above NH	$176,953±$29kHighest 79% above NH
	New Castle and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$544,400±$38kLowest 35% above NH	$1,701,300±$267kHighest 323% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,500±$1kLowest 68% above NH	$3,501Highest 135% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH	$8,509Lowest 28% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	23.8%±43.5Highest NH: 48.2%	0%±85.7Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Brookline and New Castle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	0.6%Lowest NH: 7.2%	4.6%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.1%Highest NH: 72.8%	93%Lowest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1993Highest 14 yrs newer than NH	1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above NH	33 minLowest 22% above NH
Work from home	24.7%±5.8Lowest NH: 16.8%	40.1%±19.4Highest NH: 16.8%
	New Castle and Brookline are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#23 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Brookline School District	New Castle School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.