Compare towns
Cushing vs Hampden vs Newcastle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
Newcastle has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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.
| Measure | Cushing | Hampden | Newcastle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
7,896Highest |
1,913 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
49.4±7Highest 10% above ME |
| Newcastle and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±1.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $83,500±$19kLowest 12% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$89,868±$33k 20% above ME |
| Hampden and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
$398,000±$41k 34% above ME |
| Cushing and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
$1,363±$81 20% above ME |
| Cushing and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,944 30% above ME |
$3,694Lowest 22% above ME |
$4,256Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Cushing and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
85.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 5% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±4.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Newcastle 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 | — | #6 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 13 | RSU 22 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Hampden Academy | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.