Newton Falls is a village in southwestern Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,557 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Youngstown–Warren metropolitan area. The city takes its name from the two sets of waterfalls within the village, each on different branches of the Mahoning River. The city is known for its notable ZIP code (44444) and for its covered bridge, which is the second oldest in the state of Ohio. The village's name stems from its location on the falls on the Mahoning River. It grew into a home of the steel manufacturing industry, as did much of the region, aided by its location along the river and the proximity of the nearby Ravenna Training and Logistics Site.
On May 31, 1985, an F5 tornado struck the city as part of the 1985 United States-Canadian tornado outbreak, a deadly series of tornadoes that swept through Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario. The tornado that hit Newton Falls was the only F5 in Ohio that day, and damaged most of the downtown, destroying many homes and businesses, and damaging the senior and junior high schools (it destroyed the gymnasium and rendered the junior high unusable). There were between 70 and 80 injuries, and 400 families were left homeless. The Ohio Army National Guard credited warning sirens for the lack of fatalities. A monument was erected in 2022 memorializing the devastation. It is situated at the corner of Broad and Center Streets.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
The Mahoning River flows through Newton Falls.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Newton Falls had a population of 4,557. The median age was 45.3 years. 17.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.6 males age 18 and over.
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 2,149 households in Newton Falls, of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 33.1% were married-couple households, 24.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 41.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 4,256 || 93.4%
|-
| Black or African American || 38 || 0.8%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 6 || 0.1%
|-
| Asian || 13 || 0.3%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 0 || 0.0%
|-
| Some other race || 10 || 0.2%
|-
| Two or more races || 234 || 5.1%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 53 || 1.2%
|}
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,795 people, 2,064 households, and 1,236 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 2,395 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 97.6% White, 0.8% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population.
There were 2,064 households, of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.1% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.98.
The median age in the village was 40 years. 23.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.3% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 17.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.
2000 census
As of the census In December 2007 the bridge was reopened after a two-year restoration funded by government grants. In July 2009 a delivery truck damaged the bridge and rendered it out of service until repairs could be made. It reopened in 2010. The Newton Falls bridge is considered the second oldest existing covered bridge in Ohio, the oldest covered bridge in use on its original site, the only covered bridge in the state with a covered crosswalk, and the last surviving covered bridge in Trumbull County. Built on the Town Lattice truss plan, the bridge is 123 feet long and twenty-four feet wide. It has a clear span of 101 1/2 feet and a sixteen-foot-wide roadway.
Government
thumb|The Newton Falls post office bears the [[ZIP code 44444.]]
The village government consists of five elected city councilmen (four representing different wards, one at-large), an elected mayor (who serves on the council and votes in the event of a tie), and a village manager. The council meets on the first and third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 pm in the Council Chambers of the administration building. All members of the council are elected via the variant of the two-round system known as a nonpartisan primary.
- Mayor: David Hanson
Education
thumb|[[Newton Falls High School]]
Newton Falls is served by the Newton Falls Exempted Village Schools district. The current schools serving Newton Falls include:
- Newton Falls Elementary/Middle School – grades K-5
- Newton Falls Junior/Senior High School – grades 6-12
Media
Newspapers published in Newton Falls include:
- The Bridge (defunct)
- The Newton Falls Herald (defunct)
- The Review
- The Weekly Villager
Transportation
Major highways that pass through the village include:
- 25px25px Interstate 80 (Ohio Turnpike)
- 25px State Route 5
- 25px State Route 534
The Baltimore & Ohio's Pittsburgh to Chicago main line ran through the town. "The Tower", a historic train station, was demolished in 2011 after suffering extensive damage in a train derailment.
Notable people
- Clara Louise Bell, artist
- Patricia Cooksey, horse jockey
- Edward H. Ives, Wisconsin State Senator
- Jack Kucek, major league baseball player
- Earnie Shavers, heavyweight boxing contender