City profile · Iowa · Census ACS 2023

Newton, IA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Newton - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

15,696
Residents
$56,321
Median income
$151,600
Median home
$1,008
Median rent (state)

Newton - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Newton lands in the 29th percentile for household income and the 37th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

29th
percentile, household income
27th
percentile, home value
20th
percentile, median rent
37th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Newton, IA

15,696 people live in Newton, Iowa - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Newton brings in $56,321 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.4%. Typical homes in Newton are valued around $151,600, and the median resident age is 43.2 years. Educational attainment runs 18.8% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 57.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 15 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Slowing), down 21% from five years earlier. Newton reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1774.3 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 48.6°F with 35.1 inches of precipitation per year and 28.7 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Iowa run below the national norm: the state registers 87.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,008 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Iowa, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 20.1 minutes, with 78.4% driving alone and 7.4% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 43.7 out of 100 (Low).

Population

15,696 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Iowa

Median Household Income

$56,321 /yr

Poverty 6.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.8 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Iowa average

How does Newton compare to other US cities?

Here's how Newton stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 29% higher than other cities
Home value 27% pricier than other cities
Median rent 20% pricier than other cities
Safety 37% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Iowa and the picture shifts: Newton ranks #109 of 141 Iowa cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Newton against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Iowa only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Iowa-relative analysis

Median Home Value sits close to the middle of Iowa's city distribution

Among the 849 Iowa cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Newton ranks #267 - the 69th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Newton only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#629 of 845
26th percentile in Iowa
Median Gross Rent
#268 of 858
68th percentile in Iowa
Median Home Value
#267 of 849
69th percentile in Iowa
Poverty Rate
#395 of 858
54th percentile in Iowa
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#392 of 858
54th percentile in Iowa

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Iowa only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

29thIncome percentile
37thSafety percentile

29th percentile nationally for median household income · 37th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Newton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Newton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 48 Avg. percentile National median
Newton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Newton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$151,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 73% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Newton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Newton, IA Newton, IA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Newton, IA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Newton, IA median $56,321/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Newton, IA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Newton, IA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 18.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
15,696
Median Income
$56,321
Median Home Value
$151,600
Median Age
43.2
Poverty Rate
6.4%
Labor force participation
57.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
18.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1774.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
384.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1390.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
48.6°F
Annual Precipitation
35.1"
Annual Snowfall
28.7"

Schools

Total Schools
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
15,600 residents15,650 residents15,700 residents15,750 residents15,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 15,748 residents 15,741 residents ▼ -0.0%
Newton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
15
housing units authorized
Single-Family
11
detached homes
Multifamily
4
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 19
2020 11
2021 14
2022 3
2023 12
2024 15

Permit volume decreased 21% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
20.1 minutes
Drive Alone
78.4%
Carpool
9.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
4.0%
Work from Home
7.4%
Other
1.2%

Based on 7,378 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Iowa - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$75
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Iowa state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Iowa state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Newton sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.8
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,008/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
43.7 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Iowa

Grimes
15,810 people
Indianola
15,918 people
Norwalk
13,610 people
Clive
18,776 people
Boone
12,445 people
Oskaloosa
11,492 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Newton's 15,696 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Whitewater, WI
15,705 people
Prospect Heights, IL
15,681 people
Fort Mohave, AZ
15,716 people
Springdale, NJ
15,672 people
Vail, AZ
15,722 people
Hillcrest Heights, MD
15,670 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Newton's $56,321 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lincoln City, OR
$56,322 median income
Norwood, CO
$56,324 median income
Good Hope, CA
$56,328 median income
Bradford, PA
$56,330 median income
Littlefield, TX
$56,312 median income
Sheffield, PA
$56,331 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Newton, IA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Newton, IA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 90.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.1% White 90.3% Black or African American 1.6% Asian 0.1% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.4% Some other race 2.8% Two or more races 4.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Newton compares to nearby Iowa cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Newton (this city) 15,696 $56,321
Grimes 15,810 $104,497
Indianola 15,918 $78,125
Norwalk 13,610 $94,583
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Newton, IA?

What is the population of Newton, IA? +

Newton, IA has a population of 15,696 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Newton, IA? +

In Newton, the typical household earns $56,321 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Newton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Newton; the closest available measure is the Iowa state average, a cost of living index of 87.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Iowa vary by metro area.

Is Newton, IA safe? +

Newton has a total crime rate of 1774.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Newton, IA? +

Newton's median home value sits at $151,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Newton? +

Climate normals put Newton's yearly average temperature at 48.6°F, 35.1 inches of precipitation, and 28.7 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.