Compare towns
Newcastle vs Manchester 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 most people working from home (20.2%).
Manchester has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
Damariscotta has the most renters (30% rent).
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 | Manchester | Damariscotta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,913Lowest |
2,424Highest |
2,192 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.4±7Highest 10% above ME |
46.9±4.6Lowest 5% above ME |
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%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Damariscotta and Manchester 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% |
22.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.2%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1% ME: 36.2% |
47.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Newcastle and Manchester 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 |
$92,031±$16kHighest 23% above ME |
$59,423±$11kLowest 20% below 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 |
$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average |
$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 |
$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,027±$88 10% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,256Highest 40% above ME |
$3,486Lowest 15% above ME |
$3,806 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
68.2%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Damariscotta 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% |
4.5% ME: 10.7% |
11.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6% ME: 74.3% |
85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
70%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 30% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
23 minHighest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.2%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 38 | Great Salt Bay CSD |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.