Newton County is a county in Indiana, United States, part of Northwest Indiana and the Chicago metropolitan area. It had a population of 13,830 at the 2020 census and covers 403.44 square miles (1,044.9 km2) centred near 40°57′N 87°24′W.
Kentland is the county seat, and its postal code is 47951. The county has 5 incorporated towns, 7 unincorporated communities and 10 civil townships. Newton County runs on Central time (UTC−6, UTC−5 during daylight saving). Its FIPS code is 18-111.
Towns & Villages in Newton County
Newton County has 5 incorporated towns and roughly 7 recognized unincorporated communities. None of Indiana’s counties use the “city” classification here — every incorporated place in Newton County is legally a town. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no town government.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentland | Town · seat | Iroquois | 1,641 | 47951 |
| Goodland | Town | Grant | — | 47948 |
| Morocco | Town | Beaver | — | 47963 |
| Brook | Town | Iroquois | — | 47922 |
| Mount Ayr | Town | Jackson | — | — |
| Lake Village | Unincorp. | Lake | — | 46349 |
| Ade | Unincorp. | Colfax | — | — |
| Beaver City | Unincorp. | Beaver | — | — |
| Effner | Unincorp. | Grant | — | — |
| Enos | Unincorp. | Lincoln | — | — |
| Foresman | Unincorp. | Jackson | — | — |
| Sumava Resorts | Unincorp. | Lake | — | — |
| Thayer | Unincorp. | Lake | — | — |
Roselawn and Percy Junction, both listed on the old page, are locality names inside Lake and Jackson townships rather than separately recognized communities on record — they are omitted here to avoid double-counting Lake Village and Foresman. “Newton,” which appeared on the old list as a settlement, does not correspond to a verifiable place distinct from the county itself and has been dropped.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Iroquois | — | Kentland, Brook |
| Grant | — | Goodland, Effner |
| Beaver | — | Morocco, Beaver City |
| Lake | — | Lake Village, Sumava Resorts, Thayer |
| Jackson | — | Mount Ayr, Foresman |
| Colfax | — | Ade |
| Lincoln | — | Enos |
| Jefferson | — | — |
| McClellan | — | — |
| Washington | — | — |
The Census Bureau does not publish standalone 2020 population figures for Newton County’s minor civil divisions in the sources checked for this page, so township populations are left unlisted rather than estimated.
ZIP Codes
- 47951 — Kentland (also serves the county seat area)
- 47948 — Goodland
- 47963 — Morocco
- 47922 — Brook
- 46349 — Lake Village
Ade, Beaver City, Effner, Enos, Foresman, Mount Ayr, Sumava Resorts and Thayer are served by the ZIP codes of the nearest post-office town rather than a code of their own.
Geography
Newton County sits on the flat prairie of the Kankakee-Iroquois lowland in the far northwest corner of Indiana, with almost no natural relief. Land makes up 401.76 of its 403.44 square miles; the remainder is water, mostly small lakes and the channelized Iroquois River, which drains the county’s western townships toward Illinois. The Kentland crater, an impact structure between Kentland and Goodland, is one of the county’s few notable geologic features.
Newton County borders Lake County to the north, Jasper County to the east, Benton County to the south, and Iroquois County and Kankakee County, both in Illinois, to the west and northwest.
Demographics
Newton County had 13,830 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 34 people per square mile. Kentland and Goodland are the county’s two largest communities. Median household income runs below the Indiana median of $69,477, reflecting the county’s small, largely rural tax base.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — corn, soybeans and livestock — anchors Newton County’s economy, alongside light industry and warehousing drawn by the county’s position between Interstate 65 and the Chicago metro. Wind-energy development has also grown across the county’s flat farmland in recent years, adding turbine leases as a secondary income source for landowners. The Newton County Fair, held each July in Kentland, is the county’s largest annual event, drawing residents from across the surrounding townships for livestock shows and a parade.
History
Newton County was first organized on February 7, 1835, then abolished in 1839 and attached to neighboring counties for two decades before being re-organized on December 8, 1859 — making it the last of Indiana’s 92 counties to reach its present form. It is named for Sergeant John Newton, who served under General Francis Marion in the American Revolutionary War.
Getting There
Interstate 65 crosses the county’s northeast corner, and U.S. Routes 24, 41 and 52 all pass through Newton County, along with several state roads.
- Rensselaer, Indiana — 20 miles east
- Lafayette, Indiana — 45 miles southeast
- Chicago, Illinois — 75 miles northwest
The nearest commercial airport is Purdue University Airport in Lafayette; Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is the nearest major hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Newton County, Indiana?
It is in the far northwest corner of Indiana, part of the Chicago metropolitan area, bordering Illinois.
What is the population of Newton County?
13,830 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Newton County?
403.44 square miles (1,044.9 km2), of which 401.76 square miles is land.
What is the Newton County seat?
Kentland is the county seat.
How many towns are in Newton County?
Five incorporated towns — Brook, Goodland, Kentland, Morocco and Mount Ayr — plus several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Newton County?
Kentland’s ZIP is 47951; Goodland, Morocco, Brook and Lake Village each have their own code as well.
What is the Kentland crater?
A geologic impact structure between Kentland and Goodland, one of the county’s most distinctive natural features.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Indiana.