Compare towns
New Castle vs Exeter vs Sandwich vs Kittery
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 the most kids (17% under 18).
Sandwich has the most affordable homes ($438k median).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 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 | New Castle | Exeter | Sandwich | Kittery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 827Lowest |
16,151Highest |
1,757 |
10,473 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 62.8±6 61% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
63.6±2.8Highest 63% above U.S. |
46.8±2.3 20% above U.S. |
| Sandwich and New Castle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.9%±7.1 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
7%±3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
46.6%±8.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.9%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sandwich and New Castle 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% |
63.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
46%Lowest 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% |
3.7%±3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5 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. |
$140,694±$22k 74% above U.S. |
$93,728±$14kLowest 16% above U.S. |
| New Castle and Sandwich 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±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$437,700±$79kLowest 32% above U.S. |
$468,500±$31k 41% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223 31% above U.S. |
$1,679±$1kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$1,716±$224 21% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,509 173% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,494Lowest 44% above U.S. |
$4,518 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±85.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±41.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
38.8%±14.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Sandwich 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
67.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 40.1%±19.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
36.1%±16.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±7.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Castle and Sandwich 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 |
| School district | New Castle School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Kittery Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town | Robert W Traip Academy |
| 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.