Compare towns
Damariscotta 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).
Newcastle has the most people working from home (20.2%).
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 | Newcastle |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 2,192Highest |
1,913Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±8.6Lowest 10% above ME |
49.4±7Highest 10% 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% |
17.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Damariscotta and Newcastle 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% |
24.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Newcastle 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 |
$89,868±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
| Newcastle and Damariscotta 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 |
$398,000±$41kHighest 34% above ME |
| Newcastle and Damariscotta 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 |
$1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806Lowest 25% above ME |
$4,256Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 68.2%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 11.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 6% below ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.2%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Schools | ||
| School district | Great Salt Bay CSD | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.