Newell CountyAlberta
With 7,846 residents, it is a town in Alberta. Statistics Canada places it in the Division No. 2 census division.
Is Newell County a good place to live?
Newell County’s standout strength is safety (A−). Households here earn well (A−). Health lags (C+). A median home here was worth $348,000 at the census, or 3.8 times what the middle household earns in a year. Getting around depends on the car (C+). The overall grade comes out at B+, better than 70% of Canadian towns. In the ranking it comes #151 of 473 in Alberta.
Figures: home values and income: Statistics Canada, Census 2021.
This town's rent is the 2021 census rent scaled to 2025 by its province's ratio of surveyed to census rents: no rental survey covers it, so its Cost Grade is less sure. Safety less sure: no police service names this town, so its crime figure is the nearest police detachment's, shared with a wider area. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.
How Newell County grades
Each subject compares Newell County with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
What makes Newell County stand out
The 2 things Newell County does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Newell County.
Newell County is graded an A for hazard risk
Radon around Newell County is ordinary for Canada: 4.4% of tested homes over the guideline (6.6% typical). Flood mapping exists: a study by Government of Alberta. NRCan expects $0.016 of shaking damage a year per $1,000 of buildings locally, near the typical $0.030. Nobody publishes radon tests for Newell County alone, so this card uses the figure for the Palliser Health Region.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Newell County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 4.4% | 7.5% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.016 | $0.013 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory
The force covering Newell County records less serious violence than Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns, at 26
No police detachment reports under Newell County’s name, so these are the nearest detachment’s figures, not the town’s own
Violent crime in the area its police cover: 5.8 per 1,000 people a year. Across the area its police cover, the Crime Severity Index averaged 40 over 2023–25, below Alberta’s towns (110) and Canadian towns (67) alike. Thefts, break-ins and damage add up to 19.4 per 1,000 residents a year where it is policed.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Newell County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 26 | 109 | 86 |
| Crime Severity Index | 40 | 110 | 67 |
| Property crime per 1,000 | 19.4 | 45 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 5.8 | 14.2 | 12 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average · Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000: one figure for all of the Brooks detachment area
Commuters in Newell County have a short way to work, 20 min on average, less than in both Alberta’s towns and Canadian towns
Driving is how 94% of commuters got to work at the census.
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Newell County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 20 min | 26 min | 26 min |
| Car or van | 94% | 88% | 89% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Counted in May 2021, under pandemic rules: fewer commutes and more people between jobs than in a normal year.
Summer runs warm in Newell County: July highs of 26.9°C, above Alberta’s towns and Canadian towns
Most of the snow comes in March, about 18 cm. Rain and melted snow add up to 299 mm a year, below both Alberta’s towns (431 mm) and Canadian towns (883 mm). Midwinter nights in Newell County bottom out at −15.7°C on average. The frost-free season runs from 22 May to 21 September, 121 days.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Newell County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| July afternoon high | 26.9°C | 23.5°C | 25.5°C |
| Precipitation a year | 299 mm | 431 mm | 883 mm |
| Days with frost a year | 195 | 193 | 159 |
| Snowfall a year | 105 cm | 127 cm | 141 cm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Brooks)
Life expectancy around Newell County is 78.7 years, 2.8 less than for the typical Canadian town
For Newell County itself the measure is access, and it lags: 18 km to the nearest hospital, where 3.7 km is typical. Arthritis, diabetes and high blood pressure affect 19% of the region’s adults on average, above both Alberta’s towns (18%) and Canadian towns (17%). About as many adults call their health very good or excellent here as across Alberta, 52% against 53%. For health survey and life expectancy, the only official count covers all of the South Zone, Newell County included.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Newell County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth | 78.7 | 81.2 | 81.5 |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 19% | 18% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 52% | 51% | 52% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
A town of families: 22% of people in Newell County are under 15, more than in both Alberta’s towns and Canadian towns
3.9% of residents belong to a visible minority, below Alberta’s towns (29%) and Canadian towns (15%) alike. The 65-and-over age group makes up 16% of residents.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
48.4% of Newell County’s residents are women
Women numbered 3,615 and men 3,850 in 2021, next to a 50.9% share of women for Canada.
| Newell County | Alberta | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 22% | 18% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 62% | 67% | 64% |
| 65+ | 16% | 15% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 27% | 15% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 40% | 54% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Alberta and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
Rent takes less of local pay in Newell County than in Alberta’s towns or Canadian towns: 17% of household income
Owners make up 84% of households, above both Alberta’s towns (74%) and Canadian towns (74%). Shelter took 30% or more of income for 16% of households, lower than both Alberta’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Newell County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households owning their home | 84% | 74% | 74% |
| Rent as a share of income | 17% | 20% | 20% |
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 16% | 21% | 18% |
| Median home value, 2021 | $348,000 | $400,000 | $406,000 |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Values come from owners at the 2021 census and incomes from 2020, so they predate the later rise in rates.
Newell County in November: highs near 4°C, lows near −9°C
November normally sees 15 mm of precipitation. Next comes December, with normal highs of −3°C and lows of −15°C. The forecast on the Weather page is ECCC’s for Brooks.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −2°C | −15°C | 29 mm |
| Spring | 12°C | −2°C | 73 mm |
| Summer | 25°C | 10°C | 141 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | −2°C | 57 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Brooks); the forecast is on the Weather page
Bow River, which takes in Newell County, is held by David Bexte (Conservative Party of Canada)
Of the 37 Commons seats from Alberta, the Conservative Party of Canada holds 33.
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
At 0.9 visits per person served, Newell Library is quieter than 88% of Alberta’s town libraries
From 4 branches, Newell Library serves 7,524 people.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Most schools around Newell County score below the middle in Alberta: 7 of 11
3 boards run its schools. One of the 20 teaches in French, against 2% of schools in Alberta. In or within 3 km of Newell County: 8 elementary schools, 5 secondary schools and 7 schools for every grade, with 4,078 students.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holy Family Academy CatholicLargest elementary schoolElementary · Grades K–4 | Elementary · Grades K–4 | 494 | English Catholic |
| Brooks Composite High SchoolLargest secondary schoolSecondary · Grades 10–12 | Secondary · Grades 10–12 | 668 | English public |
| École Le Ruisseau FrenchTeaches in FrenchAll grades · Grades K–12 | All grades · Grades K–12 | 84 | French public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Newell County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nearest elementary school | 3.6 km | 0.5 km | 0.5 km |
| Nearest secondary school | 3.6 km | 0.7 km | 1.2 km |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025/26
Dinosaur Provincial Park reaches the edge of Newell County
The 10 km around town hold 11 protected areas. The nearest national park is more than 100 km away. Out to 10 km from the town’s edge, 0.9% of the land is protected; 2.3% is typical for a Canadian town. Within 5 km lie 14 beaches, unnamed on the map.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Newell County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 0.9% | 0.4% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
One place in Newell County, at the top of the registers
15% of its homes were built before 1961, above Alberta’s towns (4.5%) but below Canadian towns (18%).
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
- Brooks Aqueduct 1912
| Heritage | Newell County | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 15% | 4.5% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Everything we know about Newell County
Scandia Eastern Irrigation District Museum and 2 more in and around Newell County
Sights in Newell County and close by, ordered by how widely each is known.
MuseumScandia Eastern Irrigation District Museumin townMuseumMuseumBrooks & District Museum600 m outside town, to the southeastMuseumMuseumBrooks And District Museum And Historical Society1.1 km outside town, to the southeastPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (1)
- Scandia Eastern Irrigation District Museum: Kappakapa, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from around Newell County
No notable person born in Newell County is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.
Photo credits
Ryan Peake: Jonnylondon11, CC BY 3.0 · Sherraine Schalm: Edwin Wisse, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Richard Summerbell: Ross Fraser, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Shane Joseph: TheAHL, CC BY 2.0
About Newell County
Town in Alberta
TownRatings counts Newell County as Statistics Canada does, as one municipality in Alberta; the census, crime and housing figures all follow that boundary.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 7,846 (people, 2025 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Alberta
- Census division
- Division No. 2
- Census subdivision
- 4802031
Newell County’s neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newell County | 7,846 | — | B+ | C+ | A− | C+ |
| Brooks | 17,537 | 4.9 | B | B− | C | B− |
| Duchess | 1,045 | 17 | — | B+ | A− | C+ |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Newell County
Who are the people of Newell County?
Visible minorities are 4% of the population, where the middle of Canadian towns is 15%. Immigrants make up 11%, and Indigenous people 4%.
What kind of homes are in Newell County?
A household averages 2.7 people; 20% are one person living alone.
Is Newell County growing?
It lost people: 7,524 in 2016, 7,465 in 2021, 0.8% fewer, while the middle of Canadian towns grew 4.1%. Statistics Canada’s 2025 estimate is 7,846.
Is Newell County a young town or an old one?
The median resident is 39.2 years old, against 45.2 for the median of Canadian towns. 22% are under 15 and 16% are 65 or over.
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).