Compare towns
New Castle vs Exeter vs Kittery vs Rye
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Rye has the most kids (18.2% under 18).
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 | New Castle | Exeter | Kittery | Rye |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 827Lowest |
16,151Highest |
10,473 |
5,611 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 62.8±6Highest 61% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
55.1±3 42% above U.S. |
| New Castle and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Rye and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 44.3%±16.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Castle and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $176,953±$29kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
| New Castle and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,701,300±$267kHighest 411% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89k 209% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224Lowest 21% above U.S. |
$1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,509 173% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,518Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$7,519 141% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±85.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
29 min 9% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 40.1%±19.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Castle and Rye 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #17 of 133 in ME | #2 of 120 in NH |
| School district | New Castle School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Kittery Public Schools | Rye School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Robert W Traip Academy | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Highest |
9.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.