Compare towns
Newcastle vs Brunswick vs Cushing
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 (17 min average).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).
Cushing has the most homeowners (84.7%).
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 | Brunswick | Cushing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,913 |
22,336Highest |
1,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.4±7Highest 10% above ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
| Newcastle and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Newcastle and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±1.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Newcastle and Brunswick 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% |
53.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $89,868±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
| Newcastle and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,000±$41k 34% above ME |
$376,300±$15kLowest 27% above ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
| Cushing and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,363±$81Lowest 20% above ME |
$1,469±$99 29% above ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
| Cushing and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,256 40% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,944Lowest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Cushing 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% |
7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 30% below ME |
23 minHighest 5% below ME |
23 minHighest 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Brunswick 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 | — | #30 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | — | Brunswick High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.