Editing Newton, Texas

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Newton, Texas
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
| image_skyline            = Newton County Coourthouse, Newton, Texas 1709161321 (36495904124).jpg
| imagesize                = 
| image_caption            = Newton County Courthouse
| image_map                = TXMap-doton-Newton.PNG
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of Newton, Texas
| image_map1               = Newton County Newton.svg
| mapsize1                 = 250px
| map_caption1             = 
<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Texas]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[counties in Texas|County]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Newton County, Texas|Newton]]
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = 
| leader_name              = 
| established_title        = 
| established_date         = 
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2           = 14.13
| area_land_km2            = 14.10
| area_water_km2           = 0.03
| area_total_sq_mi         = 5.46
| area_land_sq_mi          = 5.45
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 1633
| population_density_sq_mi = 435.26
| population_density_km2   = 168.06
<!-- General information -->
| timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset               = -6
| timezone_DST             = CDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -5
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft             = 207
| coordinates              = {{coord|30|51|12|N|93|44|15|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 75966
| area_code                = [[Area code 409|409]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 48-51372<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 2411251<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2411251}}</ref>
| website                  = {{URL|http://www.newtontexas.org/}}
| footnotes                = 
}}
'''Newton''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Newton County, Texas|Newton County]], [[Texas]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=2011-06-07|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>  The population was 1,633 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

==History==

Both [[Newton County, Texas|Newton County]] and its county seat, Newton, were named after [[John Newton (soldier)|John Newton]], a supposed hero of the [[American Revolutionary War]]. However, John Newton's heroics are said to be a product of [[Parson Weems]], who also fictionalized the story of [[George Washington]] and the cherry tree. In 1853, disputes led to the building of a courthouse and town in the county's geographical center instead of in [[Burkeville, Texas|Burkeville]], a community 11 miles north northeast of Newton. A second courthouse in Newton, a Second Empire style structure, was built in 1902–1903 with bricks from nearby Caney Creek, according to a Texas Historical Commission marker. The town was incorporated in 1935 and remains the only incorporated city in the county. The town's public school began when the W.H. Ford Male and Female College was chartered in 1889. The site of the college later became the Powell Hotel and now serves as a museum and houses the city's chamber of commerce. The growth of the city during the first half of the 20th century was largely due to the dominant timber industry in East Texas. The town had at least one newspaper prior to 1920s.

The county courthouse, a focal point of a city square that featured extensive Christmas lighting in the early 1990s, was severely damaged by a fire in August 2000. Various funding and other problems pushed back the timeframe for the restoration of the interior for years. The historic building finally reopened in December 2012.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.beaumontenterprise.com/jasper/news/article/Newton-County-heralds-opening-of-courthouse-years-4108110.php|date=2012-12-11|access-date=2020-01-22|title=Newton County heralds opening of courthouse years after fire|newspaper=Beaumont Enterprise}}</ref>

Although almost 80 miles from the [[Gulf of Mexico]], Newton suffered extensive damage in September 2005 from [[Hurricane Rita]]. The [[National Weather Service]] estimated wind gusts in the vicinity of Newton to be between 80&nbsp;mph to 100&nbsp;mph. Some residents were without electricity for one month.

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|5.5|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|5.5|sqmi|km2}}  is land and 0.18% is water.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 68
|1940= 886
|1950= 929
|1960= 1233
|1970= 1529
|1980= 1620
|1990= 1885
|2000= 2459
|2010= 2478
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
|2020=1633}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Newton racial composition as of 2020'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4851372&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><br /> (NH = Non-Hispanic){{efn|Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.<ref>https://www.census.gov/ {{nonspecific|date=August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=18 May 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|1,014
|62.09%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|487
|29.82%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|10
|0.61%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|1
|0.06%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|6
|0.37%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|57
|3.49%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|58
|3.55%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''1,633'''
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,633 people, 796 households, and 539 families residing in the city.

At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 2,459 people, 731 households, and 508 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|446.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 900 housing units at an average density of {{convert|163.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makeup]] of the city was 59.78% White, 31.60% African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.10% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 6.02% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.28%.<ref name="GR2" />

Of the 731 households 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 28.9% of households were one person and 13.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.12.

The age distribution was 23.9% under the age of 18, 13.8% from 18 to 24, 31.4% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 129.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 138.3 males.

The median household income was $26,667 and the median family income  was $31,250. Males had a median income of $28,571 versus $18,542 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,416. About 25.0% of families and 27.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 35.1% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
The City of Newton is served by the [[Newton Independent School District]] and home to the [[Newton High School (Texas)|Newton High School]] Eagles.

==Climate==
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.  According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Newton has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=933614&cityname=Newton%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Newton, Texas]</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Sam Forse Collins|Sam Force Collins]] Democratic member in the [[Texas House of Representatives]] from 1959 to 1964.
* [[Todd Gilbert]], Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates (2022–2024)
* [[James Gulley (basketball)|James Gulley]] (born 1965), professional basketball player in the [[Israeli Basketball Premier League]]

==References==

<references />

{{notelist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.newtontexas.org/ City of Newton Website]

{{Newton County, Texas}}
{{Texas}}
{{Texas county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Newton County, Texas]]
[[Category:County seats in Texas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1853]]
[[Category:1853 establishments in Texas]]