Compare towns
Newcastle vs Mapleton vs Brooklin vs Damariscotta
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newcastle has the shortest commute (12 min average).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Damariscotta has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
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 | Newcastle | Mapleton | Brooklin | Damariscotta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 664Lowest |
1,884Highest |
869 |
1,100 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.4% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.8±3.6 22% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±3.7 10% above ME |
60.1±8.2Highest 34% above ME |
| Damariscotta and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 10.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±14.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.7%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
35.9%±7.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Damariscotta and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.8% ME: 36.2% |
49.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooklin and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,833±$49k 8% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$68,750±$8k 8% below ME |
$67,647±$19kLowest 9% below ME |
| Mapleton and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $420,500±$47kHighest 42% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$339,400±$90k 14% above ME |
$419,100±$69k 41% 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 | $1,219±$448 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,236±$137Highest 9% above ME |
$930±$68 18% below ME |
| Brooklin and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,278Highest 74% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,792 41% below ME |
$3,813 26% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18.2%±48.9 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
62.2%±27.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Damariscotta and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.4% ME: 74.3% |
69.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 12 minLowest 52% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
26 min 4% above ME |
15 min 37% below ME |
| Work from home | 20%±4.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
8.5%±8.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Brooklin Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.