Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,184, settled in 1883.
The best of Newark’s subject grades is an A− for cost of living; the weakest is a D− for incomes. 30% of residents live below the poverty line in Newark, where Arkansas’ towns sit at 18% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 94% of U.S. towns. Only 1 of the 124 Arkansas towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Newark. On civic life, just 4 of Arkansas’ 182 towns do worse. Dearing House is on the National Register of Historic Places. On the outdoors, just 19 of Arkansas’ 201 towns do worse. Newark has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Newark beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arkansas), ordered by how far Newark is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 315 in 1900, 1,180 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 1912 and 4 maps from 1935 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Newark, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Newark.
Newark beats the Arkansas average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 38% of Newark adults get no exercise outside work, above both Arkansas’ towns (34%) and U.S. towns (25%). 20% of Newark adults smoke cigarettes.
| Newark | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 20% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 39% | 35% |
| What stands out | Newark | AR |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 11.2% | 8.6% |
| More smokers | 20.3% | 15.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 22.6% | 18.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Cedar Ridge School District. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Cedar Ridge High School, with 373 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Ridge Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 263 | B− |
| Cedar Ridge High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 373 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AR on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 80% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Newark for work: only 3% work in town. Newark’s median household income is $40,000. Since 2013, Newark has added 117 jobs, to 293 in 2023.
| Newark | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 22% | 8% |
| Median household income | $40,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Newark home is worth about $152,000, up 5.7% in a year, 32% below the Arkansas typical home. The median rent in Newark is $662 a month.
| Newark | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 53% | 60% | 73% |
| Median rent | $662 a month | $878 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Newark has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 91°, January nights drop to 29° and about 3 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
3 within 15 miles of the center of Newark
About 4 of every 100 Newark residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Arkansas.
Where Newark’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Arkansas, United States
Newark is a city in Independence County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,180 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.
2 notable people were born here, including Austin Reaves and Ben Arnold.