Compare towns
Newcastle vs West Bath 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | West Bath | Cushing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,913Highest |
1,863 |
1,460Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.4±7 10% above ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
48.8±7.7Lowest 9% above ME |
| West Bath and Newcastle 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% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Newcastle and Cushing 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% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| West 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% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| West 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 |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$83,500±$19kLowest 12% above ME |
| West Bath 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±$41kLowest 34% above ME |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
$409,800±$44k 38% above ME |
| West Bath and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,363±$81 20% above ME |
$1,112±$327Lowest about the ME average |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
| Cushing and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,256Highest 40% above ME |
$3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
$3,944 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| West Bath and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 30% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
23 minHighest 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | West Bath Public Schools | RSU 13 |
| 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.