Compare towns
Newcastle vs Bath vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newcastle has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Manchester has the most kids (19% 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 | Newcastle | Bath | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,913Lowest |
8,815Highest |
2,424 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.4±7Highest 10% above ME |
45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
46.9±4.6 5% above ME |
| Newcastle and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Manchester and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±1.4 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1% ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,868±$33k 20% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
| Manchester and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,000±$41kHighest 34% above ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,256Highest 40% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$3,486Lowest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Bath and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 30% below ME |
24 minHighest about the ME average |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Bath 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 | — | #31 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | — | Morse High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.