Compare towns
Damariscotta vs Gray vs Newcastle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Damariscotta has the most renters (30% rent).
Gray has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Newcastle has the most people working from home (20%).
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 | Damariscotta | Gray | Newcastle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,192 |
8,429Highest |
664Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±8.6 10% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
54.8±3.6Highest 22% above ME |
| Newcastle and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
10.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Damariscotta and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.2%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±14.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Damariscotta and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
40.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,423±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$80,833±$49k 8% above ME |
| Gray and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $363,500±$42kLowest 23% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$420,500±$47kHighest 42% above ME |
| Newcastle and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,027±$88Lowest 10% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,219±$448 7% above ME |
| Gray and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806 25% above ME |
$3,683Lowest 21% above ME |
$5,278Highest 74% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.2%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
18.2%±48.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Damariscotta and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 6% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
12 minLowest 52% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.2%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Damariscotta 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Great Salt Bay CSD | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.