Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 728, settled in 1911.
Newland’s July high is 75°F, against 89°F in North Carolina’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns. No town among the 291 in North Carolina we compare has a lower January low than Newland. Newland’s trail density is 1.0 miles per square mile, above both North Carolina’s towns (0.2) and U.S. towns (0.4). Newland has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Avery County Courthouse and Avery County Jail. Newland has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Newland beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1913.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Newland. Close and well known come first.
4 mi ParkwayBlue Ridge Parkway16.5M visitors a year
Big draw29 mi MountainMount Mitchell
7 mi MountainGrandfather Mountain17 mi Theme parkTweetsie Railroad7 mi Theme parkLand of Oz
5 mi Ski areaSugar Mountain Resort26 runs · 1,171 ft verticalBlue Ridge Parkway: Ken Thomas, Public domain · Mount Mitchell: Unknown, Public domain · Grandfather Mountain: Original uploader was KyleAndMelissa22 at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Sugar Mountain Resort: Mark Clifton, CC BY-SA 2.0
Who provides power, water and the rest in Newland, 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 Newland.
Most working residents leave Newland for work: only 7% work in town. 22% of residents live below the poverty line in Newland. Jobs based in Newland fell to 404 in 2023, 266 fewer than in 2013.
| Newland | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 22% | 13% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $46,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Avery County Schools. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newland ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 214 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
Adults 35 to 64 are 47% of residents (38% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 16% of residents (23% statewide). Newland has grown 2.5% since 2020, to 728 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 28% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 36% across North Carolina.
| Newland | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47 years | 40.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 19% | 18% | 18% |
Somewhere between 33% and 76% women
The Census survey reached too few of Newland’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±21.6 points. Across North Carolina, 51.1% of residents are women.
| Newland | NC | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 4.3% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.9% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.9% | 9.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5.8% | 13.4% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.8% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 23.8% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.8% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 6.8% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 12% | 6.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.7% | 9.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.1% | 24.8% | 26% |
| Some college | 27.6% | 19.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.8% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 19.6% | 22.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.2% | 13.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 700, single groups can be off by several points
Newland has chilly winters and cool summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 75° and January nights drop to 23°.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
44 crimes were reported in Newland in 2025: 40 property and 4 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Newland is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Newland beats the North Carolina average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 27% of Newland adults have been diagnosed with depression.
| Newland | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 25% | 23% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 10% | 8.1% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 34% | 36% |
| What stands out | Newland | NC |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 21% | 13.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 8.9% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults seeing a dentist | 56% | 63.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical Newland home is worth about $296,000, up 0.6% in a year, 11% below the North Carolina typical home. Newland’s median rent is $792 a month.
| Newland | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 70% | 49% | 48% |
| Households that own their home | 58% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $792 a month | $1,085 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0.7 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Avery County Recreation Complex | 0.3 mi | 9 |
| 2. Roby Shomaker Wetlands and Family Recreation Park | 0.1 mi | 10 |
| 3. Waterfalls Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 18 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Newland.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
3 within 15 miles of the center of Newland
About 10 of every 100 Newland residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
Where Newland’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
3 places in Newland on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 notable people were born in Newland.
Town in North Carolina, United States
Newland is a town in and the county seat of Avery County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 715 at the 2020 census. By elevation, Newland is the highest county seat located east of the Mississippi River.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Newland has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
3 notable people were born here, including Max Roach and Paul Johnson.
