Compare towns
Eliot vs New Castle vs Lebanon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Lebanon has the shortest commute (14 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 | Eliot | New Castle | Lebanon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146 |
827Lowest |
14,999Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
62.8±6Highest 61% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
| Eliot and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
44.3%±16.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Castle and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$176,953±$29kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$98,147±$10kLowest 22% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 411% above U.S. |
$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471 38% above U.S. |
$3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
$1,744±$132Lowest 23% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$8,509Highest 173% above U.S. |
$8,149 161% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±85.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.1%±19.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Castle and Lebanon 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #29 of 120 in NH |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | New Castle School District | Lebanon School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Lebanon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.