The Town FilesNew Town, North Dakota
City in Mountrail County · population 2,764 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $207,600
- Household income
- $52,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 35 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 28.2
New Town is a city of 2,764 people in Mountrail County, North Dakota. The median home is worth $207,600, above the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). It ranks better for a vacation home than 97% of North Dakota towns, better for young professionals than 93% of North Dakota towns, better transit than 92% of North Dakota towns.
How New Town ranks
Percentile among North Dakota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Dakota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in New Town is worth $207,600, above the typical North Dakota town ($167,950). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $52,500, which is more affordable than 3% of North Dakota towns. Median rent is $851 a month. 32.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | New Town | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $207,600 | $167,950 |
| Median rent | $851 | $775 |
| Median household income | $52,500 | $68,195 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 2.5× |
| Homeownership | 32.3% | 68.6% |
| Median year built | 2004 | 1973 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in New Town
| People | New Town | Typical North Dakota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.2 | 39.0 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.8% | 20.1% |
| Under 18 | 36.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.4% | 23.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.0% | 10.6% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.2% | — |
| Work from home | 1.0% | 5.5% |
| Average commute | 14.0 min | 16.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.4% | 87.3% |
Weather in New Town
July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 3.8°F. About 17.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 34.8 inches of snow (typical North Dakota town: 44.3 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 185 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Town since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical North Dakota town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on July 6, 2014 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 6, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 21, 2016.
Severe weather in Mountrail County since 1996
Mountrail County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 5, 2023 | Flood | DR-4717: Flooding |
| July 13, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4660: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| October 2, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4565: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 1, 2020 | Biological | DR-4509: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3477: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Mountrail County
Mountrail County had 5,341 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $77,655 a year. Unemployment was 1.2% in 2023; in New Town itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in New Town
3 public schools with 950 students, about 10.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDWIN LOE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 532 | 11.8 |
| NEW TOWN HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 279 | 11.2 |
| NEW TOWN MIDDLE SCHOOL | 7-8 | 139 | 7.3 |
New Town questions
Is New Town, North Dakota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, New Town scores better for retirees than 56% of North Dakota towns and quieter than 23%. 8.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 28.2).
How much does a house cost in New Town?
The median owner-occupied home in New Town is valued at $207,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,500, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $851 a month.
What is the weather like in New Town?
July highs average 83.0°F and January lows 3.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.9 inches of precipitation a year and 34.8 inches of snow.
Does New Town get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of New Town since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on July 6, 2014. The typical North Dakota town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)