The Town Files

Newell, West Virginia

Community in Hancock County · population 1,203 (2020 Census)

Map: where Newell is in West VirginiaNewell
Median home
$88,100
Household income
$60,278
Jan low / Jul high
21° / 84°
Snow a year
31 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
12
Median age
39.8

Newell is a community of 1,203 people in Hancock County, West Virginia. The median home is worth $88,100, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). It ranks more vibrant than 74% of West Virginia towns, hipper than 74% of West Virginia towns, better for retirees than 70% of West Virginia towns.

Newell in our rankings:

How Newell ranks

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

Newell lifestyle rankings vs other West Virginia townsRetirement70th pctFamilies39th pctQuiet58th pctWalkability60th pctFirst-time buyers35th pctYoung professionals16th pctVibrancy74th pctHip & trendy74th pctCollege town41st pctUpscale5th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving2nd 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 Newell is worth $88,100, below the typical West Virginia town ($125,000). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $60,278, which is more affordable than 92% of West Virginia towns. Median rent is $915 a month. 60.4% of households own their home.

Newell vs Hancock County vs typical West Virginia townNewellHancock CountyTypical West Virginia townHome value$88,100$130,800$125,000Household income$60,278$61,466$52,093Monthly rent$915$771$811
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of West Virginia towns with 500+ people.
HousingNewellTypical West Virginia town
Median home value$88,100$125,000
Median rent$915$811
Median household income$60,278$52,093
Home value ÷ income1.5×2.5×
Homeownership60.4%70.7%
Median year built19551965
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Newell

PeopleNewellTypical West Virginia town
Median age39.843.6
Age 65 and over17.3%21.9%
Under 1822.3%—
Bachelor's degree or higher19.9%18.6%
Below the poverty line25.8%18.6%
Veterans23.9%—
Born outside the U.S.0.0%—
Work from home6.7%6.6%
Average commute34.6 min22.2 min
Homes with broadband81.8%86.7%

Weather in Newell

July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 20.9°F. About 41.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.4 inches of snow (typical West Virginia town: 23.8 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 112 nights at or below freezing.

Newell monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing37°21°Jan40°22°Feb49°29°Mar62°40°Apr72°49°May80°59°Jun84°63°Jul82°62°Aug76°56°Sep64°44°Oct52°34°Nov41°27°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue3.111.12.68.33.35.03.60.54.04.44.03.63.93.00.22.91.33.15.0
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the New Cumberland L/D station (6.4 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 2 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Newell since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical West Virginia town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on May 8, 2024 about 3.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 25, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Newell by decade01950s01960s01970s11980s21990s02000s12010s82020s
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 41 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 14, 2014.

Severe weather in Hancock County since 1996

Storm events in Hancock County since 1996 by typeHail41Flood15High Wind14Ice Storm7Lightning3Heavy Snow9Flash Flood20Winter Storm14
NOAA Storm Events Database, Hancock County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Hancock County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3639: Severe Winter Storm
May 24, 2024FloodDR-4787: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
May 22, 2024Severe StormDR-4783: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
April 3, 2020BiologicalDR-4517: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3450: Covid-19

Jobs and pay in Hancock County

Hancock County had 9,147 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,483 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Newell itself the ACS puts it at 18.2%.

Largest industries in Hancock CountyManufacturing1,882 jobs · $77,243Hotels & restaurants1,349 jobs · $27,696Health care & social assistan…1,054 jobs · $44,757Retail788 jobs · $29,171Construction396 jobs · $67,926Finance & insurance358 jobs · $66,031
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Hancock County, 2000–20230%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023Hancock 5.8%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Newell

Newell questions

Is Newell, West Virginia a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Newell scores better for retirees than 70% of West Virginia towns and quieter than 58%. 17.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.8).

How much does a house cost in Newell?

The median owner-occupied home in Newell is valued at $88,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,278, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $915 a month.

What is the weather like in Newell?

July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 20.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.7 inches of precipitation a year and 31.4 inches of snow.

Does Newell get tornadoes?

12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Newell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on May 8, 2024. The typical West Virginia town has had 5.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Newell's Census boundary (GEOID 5458420). Comparisons use the median of West Virginia 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.