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Living in
New Castle.
About
Life in New Castle
Living in New Castle means settling into a small Midwestern city where your money stretches further than it would in most places—median home values hover around $98,000 and rent averages $781 a month, making homeownership genuinely achievable on a modest income. The economy here has shifted from its manufacturing heyday (when the city produced everything from steel to pianos), but with a 3.7% unemployment rate and a median household income near $52,000, there are jobs to be found, though you may commute the 20 minutes or so to Indianapolis for more robust career options. What keeps locals rooted is the genuine sense of community—you're looking at a population of just over 17,000 where you'll actually recognize faces, and the city has decent bones with a public library, Ivy Tech for continuing education, and a solid public school system (yes, home to the world's largest high school gymnasium).
New Castle at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.1%
Foreign-Born
1.3%
Broadband Internet
89.2%
of households
Population Growth
-0.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in New Castle: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In New Castle, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (45.7%), and 1.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.9%
of residents
65 and Older
16.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
37.0%
of households
Married Couples
33.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.36
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 26% below IN average
Rent, home values, and income in New Castle
In New Castle, rent runs 26% below the IN average, and home values are 55% below the IN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
35.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.7%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$911
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
61.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1956
median year built
Vacant Homes
14.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $166,998 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IN
Unemployment in New Castle
Unemployment in Henry County, which includes New Castle, is close to the IN average.
Unemployment rate
New Castle: Henry County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Henry County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What New Castle Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.8 min avg
How New Castle residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In New Castle, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 74% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 51 mi
Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
Medium hub5.2M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 62% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in New Castle runs 62% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
126.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
840.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
New Castle Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
44.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Henry County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Henry County, which includes New Castle, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Drought | $52,000 |
| 2024 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $17,000 |
| 2023 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $53,000 |
| 2022 | 4 | Winter Storm | $10,000 |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2,000 |
| 2020 | 2 | Thunderstorm Wind | $53,000 |
| 2019 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $154,250 |
| 2018 | 3 | Hail | $4,250 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Henry County, county-wide
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Henry County, which includes New Castle, is typically good — 255 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
37
Good Days
255
per year
Moderate Days
110
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Henry County, county-wide
Climate82°F summers, 20°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
New Castle has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 20°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
37°/20°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
44.3"
Annual Snowfall
24.8"
Hot Days/Year
8
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
132
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
131
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 17°F | 3.01" |
| Feb | 38°F | 19°F | 2.46" |
| Mar | 49°F | 28°F | 3.40" |
| Apr | 62°F | 38°F | 4.42" |
| May | 72°F | 50°F | 4.85" |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 5.34" |
| Jul | 83°F | 61°F | 4.70" |
| Aug | 82°F | 59°F | 3.38" |
| Sep | 77°F | 52°F | 3.07" |
| Oct | 65°F | 41°F | 3.23" |
| Nov | 51°F | 31°F | 3.45" |
| Dec | 39°F | 23°F | 3.04" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in New Castle
New Castle has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Henry County Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education12.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in New Castle
New Castle's student/teacher ratio is 12.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 13.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
13.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, 68 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for New Castle
New Castle has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park (68 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park
National Historical Park
68 mi awayWilliam Howard Taft National Historic Site
National Historic Site
72 mi awayCharles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument
National Monument
80 mi awayPublic Libraries in New Castle
New Castle-Henry County Public Library
376 South 15th Street, New Castle
Cities Near New Castle
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to New Castle?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
New Castle FAQ
Is New Castle, Indiana affordable?⌄
New Castle's median rent is $781/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $51,606/year. Median home value is $98,000.
Is New Castle, Indiana safe?⌄
New Castle's violent crime rate was 127 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 840 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in New Castle, Indiana?⌄
Henry County, which includes New Castle, has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in New Castle, Indiana?⌄
The cost of living in New Castle is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $781/month and median household income is $51,606/year. The median home value is $98,000. About 35% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in New Castle, Indiana?⌄
The average commute in New Castle is 21 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from