About
Life in Newton
Newton sits about 30 miles east of Des Moines, and if you're considering a move here, you're looking at a solid small-city situation with real affordability and a tight-knit community that actually invests in itself. Housing is genuinely accessible—median home values hover around $153,700 and median rent runs $819 a month, which means you're not stretching yourself thin just to have a roof overhead. The job market is stable with an unemployment rate of 3.6%, and while the economy has manufacturing roots (Maytag's legacy still matters here), there's genuine economic diversity and the community is actively working to evolve.
Newton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
11.1%
Foreign-Born
5.2%
Broadband Internet
91.7%
of households
Population Growth
-0.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.2% foreign-born, most often from Sudan
Who lives in Newton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Newton, the largest foreign-born group is from Sudan (41.0%), and 4.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.8%
of residents
65 and Older
21.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
40.5%
of households
Married Couples
40.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.26
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 16% below IA average
Rent, home values, and income in Newton
In Newton, rent runs 16% below the IA average, and home values are 26% below the IA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,742
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
61.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1963
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $202,780 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IA
Unemployment in Newton
Unemployment in Jasper County, which includes Newton, is close to the IA average.
Unemployment rate
Newton: Jasper County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Jasper County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Newton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.3 min avg
How Newton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Newton, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 63% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 33 mi
Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
Small hub1.6M 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.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Newton is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
318.5
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,337.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Newton Police Department
Natural DisastersHail most common — 7 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
43.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Jasper County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Jasper County, which includes Newton, the most common type is hail, with 7 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | Hail | $7,000 |
| 2024 | 28 | Drought | $425,000 |
| 2023 | 9 | Hail | $1,000 |
| 2022 | 12 | Drought | $50.5M |
| 2021 | 12 | Drought | $50,000 |
| 2020 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30,000 |
| 2019 | 21 | Winter Storm | $26,000 |
| 2018 | 19 | Heavy Rain | $158,000 |
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
Jasper County, county-wide
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Polk County, IA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 27 miles from Newton) is typically good — 224 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
224
per year
Moderate Days
139
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Polk County, IA (27 mi away)
Climate83°F summers, 14°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Newton has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 14°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
32°/14°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
35.1"
Annual Snowfall
28.7"
Hot Days/Year
21
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
142
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
98
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 28°F | 10°F | 0.93" |
| Feb | 33°F | 14°F | 1.10" |
| Mar | 46°F | 26°F | 2.06" |
| Apr | 60°F | 37°F | 3.44" |
| May | 71°F | 50°F | 4.84" |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 5.01" |
| Jul | 85°F | 64°F | 3.93" |
| Aug | 83°F | 61°F | 4.30" |
| Sep | 76°F | 52°F | 3.59" |
| Oct | 63°F | 40°F | 2.66" |
| Nov | 47°F | 27°F | 2.01" |
| Dec | 34°F | 17°F | 1.27" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Newton
Newton has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Mercyone Newton Medical Center
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.
Education14.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Newton
Newton's student/teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 19.5% 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
19.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 87 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Newton
Newton has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Herbert Hoover National Historic Site (87 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
National Historic Site
87 mi awayPublic Libraries in Newton
Newton Public Library
100 N 3rd Ave W, Newton
Cities Near Newton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Newton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Newton FAQ
Is Newton, Iowa affordable?⌄
Newton's median rent is $819/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $57,771/year. Median home value is $153,700.
Is Newton, Iowa safe?⌄
Newton's violent crime rate was 319 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1338 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Newton, Iowa?⌄
Jasper County, which includes Newton, has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Newton, Iowa?⌄
The cost of living in Newton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $819/month and median household income is $57,771/year. The median home value is $153,700. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Newton, Iowa?⌄
The average commute in Newton is 22 minutes, which is about 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