Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Newman grades C− overall, 514th of 841 graded towns in California, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is more walkable than 83% of U.S. towns. On the other side, homes are expensive, about $431K for a typical one and 5.3 times the Modesto metro’s $81K median household income. Newman’s average trip to work is 37 minutes, where California’s towns sit at 28 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Only 33 of California’s 426 towns score higher on safety. Newman's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 94% of U.S. towns.
Where Newman beats most towns.
10,224 counted in 2010 and 12,351 in 2020; an estimated 12,453 in 2025.
Growth has leveled off: within 1% of 2020, after 20.8% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Newman is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 621 in 1890, 12,351 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 1991 and 4 maps from 1917 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Newman, 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 Newman.
Newman fares better on crime within California than nationally and has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns, but it has commutes longer than most of California.
The median rent in Newman is $1,420 a month. The typical Newman home is worth about $431,000, down 1.5% in a year, 43% below the California typical home.
| Newman | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,420 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 66% | 64% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Newman-Crows Landing Unified school district. Two of its 8 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Orestimba High, with 925 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yolo Junior HighLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 738 | – |
| Orestimba HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 925 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
Newman beats the California average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15. 18% of Newman adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance.
| Newman | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 9% | 8.1% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 70% | 72% | 79% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 24% | 25% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 16% | 14% |
| What stands out | Newman | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.3% | 6.4% |
| More uninsured adults | 17.8% | 10.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The average commute for its 4,767 working residents takes 36.6 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
Most working residents leave Newman for work: only 13% work in town. Since 2013, Newman has added 295 jobs, to 1,768 in 2023. The top destinations are Modesto (6%), Turlock (4%) and Patterson (4%).
| Newman | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $79,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
At 11.8 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports less crime than 93% of California’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 90 to 65 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Newman’s property crime rate is 3.7 per 1,000 residents.
| Newman | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.7 per 1,000 residents | 13.4 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.5 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 70% of U.S. communities. Since 1995, 24 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Newman.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The Newman weather station records that about 121 days a year reach 90°, more than in 98% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 94.6°, hotter than in 95% of U.S. towns; January nights average 39.3°.
Newman has mild winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Newman | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 95°F | 89°F | 85°F |
| January low | 39°F | 41°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. William Rae Sherman Park | — | 9 |
| 2. Hurd Barrington Park | — | 6 |
| 3. Alfred A. "Bush" Rose, Jr. Park | — | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Newman; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Newman residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
Where Newman’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in California, United States
Newman is a city in Stanislaus County, California, located in the San Joaquin Valley region of the greater Central Valley. The city had a population of 12,351 at the 2020 census, up from 10,224 at the 2010 census. Founded in 1888 by Simon Newman, the city is a largely agricultural community, known for its annual Fall Festival.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Newman grades C− overall, better than 18% of U.S. towns and #514 of 841 in California. It grades C− for health, B+ for safety and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.