City · Pennsylvania
New Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle, city, in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. New Castle had 21,175 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 21,926 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 21,579 (±42). GEOID 4253368.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
21,175
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 21,926 · ACS 2020-2024: 21,579 ±42
Median household income
$42,219
±$4,138 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $77,971
Median home value
$77,400
±$6,248 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $254,500
Median gross rent
$741
±$62 (90% margin)
Pennsylvania: $1,209
Where is New Castle and what county is it in?
New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. It covers 8.3 square miles of land, 2,639 residents per square mile in 2020.
New Castle is in the Pittsburgh, PA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 8 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in New Castle, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 21,175 people lived in New Castle on July 1, 2025, down 3.4% since 2020, while Pennsylvania grew 0.4%. The 2020 Census counted 21,926 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 21,579 (±42).
| Measure | New Castle | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 21,579 ±42 | 85,024 | −412 |
| Households | 9,406 ±309 | 36,121 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.22 ±0.07 | 2.29 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 10,622 ±307 | 39,591 | −555 |
New Castle's population since 2000
From 26,309 in 2000 to 21,175 in 2025: down 19.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for New Castle as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in New Castle?
The median resident of New Castle is 39.5 years old; 23.5% are under 18 and 18.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 75.7%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 10.8%. 1.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | New Castle | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5 ±1.4 | 44.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.5% ±1.6 pts | 20.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.9% ±1.3 pts | 23.4% | – |
| Male | 46.8% ±1.9 pts | 48.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.2% ±0.8 pts | 2.2% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 75.7% ±2.0 pts | 88.7% | −5.1 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 10.8% ±1.4 pts | 3.7% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 8.6% ±1.8 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.5% ±0.8 pts | 1.3% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.6% ±1.1 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.5% ±1.6 pts | 7.8% | – |
| With a disability | 22.8% ±2.4 pts | 17.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.9% ±1.4 pts | 5.1% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 89.6% ±1.6 pts | 92.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 16.3% ±1.8 pts | 23.4% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.0% ±0.7 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.3% ±3.0 pts | 90.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 3.0% ±2.3 pts | 1.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in New Castle earn?
Half of New Castle's 9,406 households earn less than $42,219 a year (±$4,138), against $61,931 in Lawrence County and $77,971 in Pennsylvania. In 2015-2019 it was $42,007 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 28.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | New Castle | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,219 ±$4,138 | $61,931 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $53,524 ±$2,712 | $81,018 | – |
| Per capita income | $24,415 ±$1,244 | $35,150 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 28.0% ±3.5 pts | 11.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 41.9% ±9.1 pts | 17.2% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 39.1% ±3.3 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 90.8% ±1.5 pts | 91.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.5% ±2.4 pts | 86.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in New Castle?
Owners occupy 54.8% of New Castle's occupied homes and renters 45.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $77,400 by its owner (±$6,248). The median renter pays $741 a month including utilities, and 40.8% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | New Castle | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $77,400 ±$6,248 | $147,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $741 ±$62 | $831 | −$91 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 40.8% ±5.6 pts | 37.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,079 ±$71 | $1,290 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 54.8% ±2.7 pts | 75.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 45.2% ±2.7 pts | 24.2% | – |
| Housing units | 10,622 ±307 | 39,591 | −555 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.6% ±0.5 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 3.7% ±2.6 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.9% ±2.3 pts | 77.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.6% ±0.6 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 45.0% ±2.9 pts | 27.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 16.7% ±2.5 pts | 8.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is New Castle building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in New Castle in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.0 across Pennsylvania.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in New Castle work and get to work?
75.1% of New Castle's workers drive alone and 11.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 12.5%.
| Measure | New Castle | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 53.9% ±2.6 pts | 57.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 12.5% ±2.6 pts | 5.7% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 75.1% ±3.7 pts | 75.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.4% ±2.5 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.6% ±1.0 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 1.2% ±0.6 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.8% ±2.6 pts | 13.4% | +8.5 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.3 min ±2.2 | 23.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in New Castle?
9 census tracts lie mostly in New Castle, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $19,950 (Tract 4) to $53,274 (Tract 1).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1Lawrence County | 4,368 | $53,274 |
| Tract 8Lawrence County | 3,802 | $52,775 |
| Tract 3Lawrence County | 3,688 | $38,042 |
| Tract 2Lawrence County | 2,039 | $37,047 |
| Tract 4Lawrence County | 1,775 | $19,950 |
| Tract 7Lawrence County | 1,697 | $39,806 |
| Tract 10Lawrence County | 1,657 | $52,018 |
| Tract 9Lawrence County | 1,471 | $25,938 |
| Tract 6Lawrence County | 1,082 | $24,211 |
| Tract 110Lawrence County | 5,023 | $75,538 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in New Castle) · Census block assignment files
How does New Castle compare with other places in Pennsylvania?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, New Castle is the 1,839th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 26th-most populous of 1,012 in Pennsylvania.
New Castle ranks 2,090th of 2,136 places in Pennsylvania with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 26th | 1,012 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,534th | 1,764 |
| Residents per square mile | 470th | 2,159 |
| Median household income | 2,090th | 2,136 |
| Per capita income | 2,090th | 2,157 |
| Median home value | 2,117th | 2,146 |
| Median gross rent | 1,746th | 1,963 |
| Poverty rate | 40th | 1,606 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,785th | 2,129 |
| Median age | 1,644th | 2,157 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,945th | 2,149 |
| Work from home | 921st | 1,710 |
| Travel time to work | 1,620th | 2,156 |
New Castle's figures with every place in Pennsylvania (CSV)
Every place in Pennsylvania, sortable · Compare New Castle with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for New Castle?
10 of the 57 figures for New Castle on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for New Castle are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in New Castle.