About Newton County

Organized in 1838, with Neosho its county seat.

Newton County is in the State of Missouri. It is included in the Joplin, Missouri, metropolitan statistical area. The population was 58,648 at the 2020 census comprised of 24,570 households. It is the eighteenth most populous county in Missouri. The county was organized in 1838 and named for John Newton, a hero of the Revolutionary War. The county seat is Neosho.

Newton County has a multitude of communities including: Diamond, Fairview, Granby, Joplin, Neosho, and Seneca; Villages: Cliff Village, Dennis Acres, Grand Falls Plaza, Leawood, Loma Linda, Newtonia, Redings Mill, Ritchey, Saginaw, Shoal Creek Drive, Shoal Creek Estates, Silver Creek, Stark City, Stella, and Wentworth. The following localities are also in Newton County: Hornet, Monark Springs, Racine, Spring City, Tipton Ford, and Wanda.

The County’s cities and villages, and its flag

The County in 1942

Men walk up to the Art Deco doors of the Newton County Courthouse in 1942 — The Courthouse entrance, February 1942

A farm couple standing in a doorway in 1942 — A farm couple who left their farm to follow the Camp Crowder construction boom, 1942

Photo Credits

The Boy Carver statue at the George Washington Carver National Monument near Diamond Carver Trail, NPS Photo, Public domain
Volunteers at Carver Day, George Washington Carver National Monument Park Volunteers are the Best!, NPS Photo, Public domain
Prairie Day at the George Washington Carver National Monument Prairie Day Fun, NPS Photo, Public domain
The Neosho National Fish Hatchery The historic Neosho National Fish Hatchery, America’s oldest operating federal hatchery, turns 125 this year. Bruce Hallman USFWS (9076492034), Bruce Hallman / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Kids’ fishing day at the Neosho National Fish Hatchery The fishing was good! (5913273216), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Midwest Region, Public domain
The square in Neosho NeoshoMoTownSquare, RebelAt, Public domain
Downtown Seneca Downtown Seneca, TheWhitePelican, CC BY-SA 3.0
The water tower in Granby U.S. Route 60 Granby, MO (24463046242), Mobilus In Mobili, CC BY-SA 2.0
The Lentz-Carter Merchandise Store in Stella Lentz-Carter Merchandise Store, Keith Snyder, CC BY-SA 4.0
Main Street in Diamond Diamond, Missouri - downtown with main street, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, CC0 1.0
The Courthouse entrance, February 1942 Neosho, Missouri. Newton County courthouse, John Vachon, U.S. Farm Security Administration / Office of War Information, Public domain
A farm couple who left their farm to follow the Camp Crowder construction boom, 1942 Farm couple who left farm and followed the boom, John Vachon, U.S. Farm Security Administration / Office of War Information, Public domain
The Lime Kiln Road bridge over Shoal Creek near Neosho, since removed Lime Kiln Road Bridge, Spanning Shoal Creek, Neosho, Newton County, MO, Historic American Engineering Record, National Park Service, Public domain
The Newton County Courthouse in Neosho Newton County MO Courthouse 20151022-113, Kbh3rd, CC BY 4.0