Oskaloosa receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Oskaloosa
Newton
Opportunity
77 · Top 10%
vs70 · Top 23%
Growth
69 · Top 18%
vs70 · Top 16%
Climate
59 · Bottom 10%
vs58 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 36%
vs68 · Top 39%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
54 · Top 46%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Access
68 · Bottom 11%
vs82 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 25%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Oskaloosa | Newton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,504 | 15,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,004 | $57,771 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,751 | $34,732 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,428/sq mi | 1,395/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $153,300 | $153,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $831 | $819 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.8% | 61.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | 0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.4% | 19.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 11.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 63 | 68 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.5 | 4.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 16.7% | 161.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.0" | 36.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 56 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.4 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 42.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.47 | 14.75 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 67.1% | 63.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 66.7% | 64.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 41.2% | 49.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Oskaloosa
Elevated or high exposure: heat wave, tornado, cold wave.
Newton
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, cold wave.
Full profiles: Oskaloosa, IA · Newton, IA · How this is calculated: methodology