What stands out worked out from the figures below

Newcastle has the most expensive homes ($398k median).

Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Newcastle	Jackson
People
Population	1,913Highest	567Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.4±7Highest 10% above ME	37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME
	Newcastle and Jackson 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%	17.1%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Newcastle and Jackson 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%	17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.1%Highest ME: 36.2%	41.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.2%±2Highest ME: 5.8%	1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Newcastle and Jackson 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	$75,167±$19kLowest about the ME average
	Newcastle and Jackson 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	$231,500±$16kLowest 22% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME	$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,256Highest 40% above ME	$2,651Lowest 13% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4%	6.3%±60.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Jackson and Newcastle 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%	13.8%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.6%Highest ME: 74.3%	78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME	1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 30% below ME	35 minHighest 41% above ME
Work from home	20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9%	15.3%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Newcastle and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.