The Town FilesNewcastle, California
Community in Placer County · population 1,321 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $598,000
- Household income
- $108,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 42.3
Newcastle is a community of 1,321 people in Placer County, California. The median home is worth $598,000, close to the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks quieter than 93% of California towns, better for families than 92% of California towns, better for retirees than 90% of California towns.
How Newcastle ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Newcastle is worth $598,000, close to the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 5.5 times the median household income of $108,750, which is more affordable than 67% of California towns. Median rent is $1,798 a month. 88.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Newcastle | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $598,000 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,798 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $108,750 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.5× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 88.5% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Newcastle
| People | Newcastle | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.4% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 17.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.7% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.4% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.1% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.5% | 93.3% |
Weather in Newcastle
July highs average 92.7°F and January lows 37.8°F. About 36.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.0 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 63 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 20 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Newcastle since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an F0, struck on April 23, 1990 about 2.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 23, 1990.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on October 2, 2016.
Severe weather in Placer County since 1996
Placer County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4683: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 9, 2023 | Flood | EM-3591: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| September 9, 2022 | Fire | FM-5453: Mosquito Fire |
| September 1, 2021 | Fire | EM-3571: Caldor Fire |
Jobs and pay in Placer County
Placer County had 186,942 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,804 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Newcastle itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Newcastle
4 public schools with 1,023 students, about 22.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle Charter (charter) | K-8 | 334 | 30.4 |
| Harvest Ridge Cooperative Charter (charter) | K-8 | 317 | 24.4 |
| Ophir STEAM Academy | K-8 | 207 | 20.7 |
| Newcastle Elementary | K-8 | 165 | 15.0 |
Towns near Newcastle
- Penryn, CA2.4 mi · 1,150 people · home $808,500
- Auburn, CA3.6 mi · 13,776 people · home $672,500
- North Auburn, CA5.2 mi · 13,452 people · home $530,400
- Loomis, CA5.2 mi · 6,836 people · home $634,500
- Rocklin, CA7.6 mi · 71,601 people · home $703,400
- Granite Bay, CA7.6 mi · 21,247 people · home $1,135,900
- Auburn Lake Trails, CA8.3 mi · 3,388 people · home $560,300
- Lincoln, CA8.7 mi · 49,757 people · home $651,000
Newcastle questions
Is Newcastle, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Newcastle scores better for retirees than 90% of California towns and quieter than 93%. 27.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in Newcastle?
The median owner-occupied home in Newcastle is valued at $598,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $108,750, so homes cost about 5.5 times income. Median rent is $1,798 a month.
What is the weather like in Newcastle?
July highs average 92.7°F and January lows 37.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.1 inches of precipitation a year and 2.0 inches of snow.
Does Newcastle get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Newcastle since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on April 23, 1990. The typical California town has had 2.
- 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)