Compare towns

New Castle vs Durham vs Jackson

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Durham has the youngest population (median age 20.8).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+26%).
Durham is a college town. 55.1% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

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.

MeasureNew CastleDurhamJackson
People
Population
827Lowest
15,080Highest
897
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3.3%Lowest
NH: +4.6%
+5.8%
NH: +4.6%
+26%Highest
NH: +4.6%
Median age
62.8±6Highest
45% above NH
20.8±0.3Lowest
52% below NH
60.5±2.5
40% above NH
New Castle and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
12.9%±7.1Highest
NH: 18.2%
10.3%±2.1
NH: 18.2%
4.1%±4.1Lowest
NH: 18.2%
New Castle and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
44.3%±16.1Highest
NH: 20.1%
11.5%±1.6Lowest
NH: 20.1%
28.4%±6.4
NH: 20.1%
New Castle and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
68.8%
NH: 40.6%
75.4%Highest
NH: 40.6%
67.7%Lowest
NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
0.6%±1.8Lowest
NH: 6%
55.1%±3.2Highest
NH: 6%
3%±3.4
NH: 6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$176,953±$29kHighest
79% above NH
$124,056±$21k
25% above NH
$117,986±$46kLowest
19% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$1,701,300±$267kHighest
323% above NH
$504,300±$41kLowest
25% above NH
$719,300±$109k
79% above NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$3,501Highest
135% above NH
$1,429±$143Lowest
4% below NH
$1,750±$1k
17% above NH
Property taxmedian, yearly
$8,509
28% above NH
$10,000+Highest
at least 50% above NH
$6,001Lowest
10% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±85.7Lowest
NH: 48.2%
66.4%±16Highest
NH: 48.2%
21.1%±59.9
NH: 48.2%
Durham and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
4.6%Lowest
NH: 7.2%
15.1%
NH: 7.2%
16.9%Highest
NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
93%Highest
NH: 72.8%
64.4%Lowest
NH: 72.8%
91.4%
NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975Lowest
4 yrs older than NH
1981Highest
2 yrs newer than NH
1980
1 yr newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
33 minHighest
22% above NH
19 min
27% below NH
19 minLowest
31% below NH
Work from home
40.1%±19.4Highest
NH: 16.8%
19.4%±3.5Lowest
NH: 16.8%
22.2%±10.2
NH: 16.8%
New Castle and Jackson 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 — #9 of 120 in NH —
School district New Castle School District Oyster River Coop School District Jackson School District
High school in town None in town Oyster River High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.3
—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story None yet 51 photos → 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.