Compare towns
Rye vs Gray vs New Castle
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rye has the oldest housing (typical home built 1972).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
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 | Rye | Gray | New Castle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,611 |
8,429Highest |
827Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.1±3 42% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
62.8±6Highest 61% above U.S. |
| New Castle and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.7%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
44.3%±16.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Castle and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 61.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.2%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $140,655±$39k 74% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$176,953±$29kHighest 119% above U.S. |
| New Castle and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $1,028,100±$89k 209% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 411% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,781±$156 26% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,519 141% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$8,509Highest 173% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±85.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 9% above U.S. |
29 minLowest 8% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 30.9%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.1%±19.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Castle and Rye 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Rye School District | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | New Castle School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.