The Town Files

Newport, Minnesota

City in Washington County · population 3,797 (2020 Census)

Map: where Newport is in MinnesotaNewport
Median home
$378,100
Household income
$71,979
Jan low / Jul high
9° / 83°
Snow a year
46 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
17
Median age
37.4

Newport is a city of 3,797 people in Washington County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $378,100, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks hipper than 97% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 92% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 92% of Minnesota towns.

Newport in our rankings:

How Newport ranks

Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.

Newport lifestyle rankings vs other Minnesota townsRetirement31st pctFamilies8th pctQuiet22nd pctWalkability92nd pctFirst-time buyers77th pctYoung professionals92nd pctVibrancy92nd pctHip & trendy97th pctCollege town11th pctUpscale29th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit80th pctDriving7th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Newport is worth $378,100, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $71,979, which is more affordable than 3% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,122 a month. 66.9% of households own their home.

Newport vs Washington County vs typical Minnesota townNewportWashington CountyTypical Minnesota townHome value$378,100$422,000$301,800Household income$71,979$115,345$87,375Monthly rent$1,122$1,710$991
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Minnesota towns with 500+ people.
HousingNewportTypical Minnesota town
Median home value$378,100$301,800
Median rent$1,122$991
Median household income$71,979$87,375
Home value ÷ income5.3×3.4×
Homeownership66.9%88.6%
Median year built19761979
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Newport

PeopleNewportTypical Minnesota town
Median age37.442.7
Age 65 and over15.4%20.0%
Under 1818.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher27.4%26.2%
Below the poverty line9.4%6.9%
Veterans5.9%—
Born outside the U.S.9.8%—
Work from home18.0%11.1%
Average commute25.2 min24.5 min
Homes with broadband88.8%90.2%

Weather in Newport

July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 8.6°F. About 29.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 46.1 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 146 nights at or below freezing.

Newport monthly temperatures and precipitation0°10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing24°9°Jan29°13°Feb42°25°Mar57°37°Apr69°49°May79°59°Jun83°64°Jul80°62°Aug72°53°Sep58°40°Oct42°27°Nov29°15°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue0.59.90.510.01.46.82.62.94.04.64.04.13.12.50.61.35.60.710.3
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the St Paul Downtown Ap station (4.8 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 4 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Newport since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 14, 1981 about 8.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 83 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 27, 2022.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Newport by decade11950s11960s31970s21980s11990s22000s22010s52020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 201 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 8, 1966.

Severe weather in Washington County since 1996

Storm events in Washington County since 1996 by typeHail182Tornado19High Wind7Lightning11Heavy Snow17Flash Flood8Winter Storm82Excessive Heat9
NOAA Storm Events Database, Washington County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 5 deaths recorded.

Washington County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 7, 2020BiologicalDR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3453: Covid-19
June 12, 2019FloodDR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
May 10, 2011FloodDR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding
March 19, 2010FloodEM-3310: Flooding

Jobs and pay in Washington County

Washington County had 95,625 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,700 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Newport itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.

Largest industries in Washington CountyHealth care & social assistan…15,696 jobs · $63,438Retail14,633 jobs · $36,080Manufacturing11,621 jobs · $82,373Hotels & restaurants9,951 jobs · $24,279Construction4,571 jobs · $82,418Professional & technical serv…4,183 jobs · $87,121
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Washington County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023Washington 2.4%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Newport

1 public school with 275 students, about 10.6 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
NEWPORT ELEMENTARYPK-527510.6

Towns near Newport

Newport questions

Is Newport, Minnesota a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Newport scores better for retirees than 31% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 22%. 15.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.4).

How much does a house cost in Newport?

The median owner-occupied home in Newport is valued at $378,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,979, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $1,122 a month.

What is the weather like in Newport?

July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 8.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.2 inches of precipitation a year and 46.1 inches of snow.

Does Newport get tornadoes?

17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Newport since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 14, 1981. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Newport's Census boundary (GEOID 2745790). Comparisons use the median of Minnesota towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.