Compare towns
Newcastle vs Brooks 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
Damariscotta has the most kids (19.4% 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 | Brooks | Damariscotta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,913 |
1,208Lowest |
2,192Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.4±7Highest 10% above ME |
45.9±6.6Lowest about the ME average |
49.3±8.6 10% above ME |
| Newcastle and Damariscotta 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% |
17.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Damariscotta 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% |
17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.2%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks 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±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$59,423±$11k 20% below ME |
| Newcastle and Damariscotta 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 |
$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$363,500±$42k 23% 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 | $1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME |
$1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,027±$88Lowest 10% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,256Highest 40% above ME |
$2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$3,806 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
68.2%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
11.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.6% ME: 74.3% |
70%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 30% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
23 min 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
13.2%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | Great Salt Bay CSD |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.