Jobs, pay and daily life in New Castle, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
New Castle is a city in Indiana with 17,367 residents. The median household earns $51,606 a year and the median rent is $781 a month, which is 18.2% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Muncie, IN (44,740 jobs), about 19 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How New Castle compares. Among the 80 largest places in Indiana, New Castle is #52 by population, #1 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #75 for college degrees (#1 = most), #64 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Henry County, is #75 of 92 counties for average pay ($48,142).
New Castle has 17,367 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Indiana. It covers 7 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,371 people per square mile. The median age is 41.2, 8% older than the state median (41.2 against 38.1).
The median gross rent is $781 a month (rent plus utilities), 26% below the state median ($781 against $1,062). Over a year that is 18.2% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $98,000, which is 1.9 times the median household income ($51,606); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 61.5% of households own their home, 13% below the state average (61.5% against 70.5%).
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Muncie, IN, metropolitan area has 44,740 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $44,110 a year, 13% below the national median ($44,110 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are food preparation and serving related (5,190 jobs, median $28,110); office and administrative support (5,010 jobs, median $41,540); sales and related (4,560 jobs, median $34,160). The area is most specialised in food preparation and serving related (1.3 times) and office and administrative support (1.0 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are office and administrative support ($41,540) and food preparation and serving related ($28,110). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Henry County was 3.6%. 57.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Henry County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 75.4% drive alone, 0.6% use public transit, 2.8% walk, 8.8% work from home. 12.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, about the same as the state average (12.9% against 12.7%).
13.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 55% below the state share (13.3% against 29.5%). 1.3% of residents were born outside the United States, 80% below the state share (1.3% against 6.3%). The poverty rate is 20.1%, 63% above the state rate (20.1% against 12.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 74°F (23.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 26°F (-3.1°C). About 1,129 mm (44 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (130 mm) and Feb the driest (68 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Muncie (19 miles, rent 16% higher); Yorktown (20 miles, rent 19% higher); Anderson (21 miles, rent 18% higher); Connersville (22 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against New Castle; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Indiana (770) →State guide: IndianaCountry guideHenry CountyIndiana rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 770 federal postings open in Indiana (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Indiana →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,120 | 1.91 | $27,560 | $21,050 | $34,390 | -12% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,710 | 1.52 | $31,060 | $22,900 | $44,600 | -12% |
| Cashiers | 1,310 | 1.47 | $28,660 | $21,670 | $35,920 | -13% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,220 | 1.26 | $79,500 | $62,610 | $98,530 | -19% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 970 | 1.52 | $37,900 | $28,510 | $42,160 | +3% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 930 | 0.75 | $35,350 | $29,640 | $43,220 | -1% |
| Office Clerks, General | 900 | 1.27 | $38,890 | $29,370 | $60,230 | -14% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 890 | 1.09 | $35,020 | $29,560 | $38,470 | -6% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 730 | 1.12 | $23,720 | $16,750 | $45,130 | -33% |
| Nursing Assistants | 700 | 1.68 | $37,080 | $31,840 | $45,340 | -12% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 690 | 0.81 | $37,490 | $27,100 | $47,830 | -7% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 670 | 2.46 | $37,210 | $29,820 | $45,760 | -5% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 640 | 0.86 | $39,640 | $29,450 | $56,810 | -11% |
| General and Operations Managers | 640 | 0.64 | $99,750 | $47,770 | $216,280 | -6% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 600 | 1.49 | $43,260 | $34,640 | $56,130 | -3% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 560 | 0.95 | $58,810 | $36,230 | $70,390 | +0% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 470 | 1.07 | $45,600 | $31,770 | $63,350 | -8% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 460 | 1.14 | $30,050 | $26,230 | $37,170 | -20% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 450 | 1.15 | $44,650 | $31,770 | $60,990 | -12% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 440 | 1.60 | $40,520 | $34,100 | $48,420 | -12% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 640 | 0.64 | $99,750 | $47,770 | $216,280 | -6% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,220 | 1.26 | $79,500 | $62,610 | $98,530 | -19% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 560 | 0.95 | $58,810 | $36,230 | $70,390 | +0% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 600 | 1.49 | $43,260 | $34,640 | $56,130 | -3% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 640 | 0.86 | $39,640 | $29,450 | $56,810 | -11% |
| Office Clerks, General | 900 | 1.27 | $38,890 | $29,370 | $60,230 | -14% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 970 | 1.52 | $37,900 | $28,510 | $42,160 | +3% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 690 | 0.81 | $37,490 | $27,100 | $47,830 | -7% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 670 | 2.46 | $37,210 | $29,820 | $45,760 | -5% |
| Nursing Assistants | 700 | 1.68 | $37,080 | $31,840 | $45,340 | -12% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 930 | 0.75 | $35,350 | $29,640 | $43,220 | -1% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 890 | 1.09 | $35,020 | $29,560 | $38,470 | -6% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,710 | 1.52 | $31,060 | $22,900 | $44,600 | -12% |
| Cashiers | 1,310 | 1.47 | $28,660 | $21,670 | $35,920 | -13% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,120 | 1.91 | $27,560 | $21,050 | $34,390 | -12% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 730 | 1.12 | $23,720 | $16,750 | $45,130 | -33% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Muncie, IN, about 19 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $44,110 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.2% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.2% |
| Manufacturing | 18.8% |
| Retail trade | 13.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.3% |
| Other services | 6.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.1% |
| Construction | 4.5% |
| Public administration | 2.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.4% |
| Information | 0.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.3% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where New Castle lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry County | 48,970 | $2,018 million | $41,218 | 13,759 | 893 | $48,142 | +4.2% | 3.6% | 22,895 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,195 | 37.2% | $59,800 | 2.83 |
| Retail trade | 1,710 | 19.9% | $31,952 | 1.24 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,166 | 13.6% | $22,070 | 0.93 |
| Administrative and waste services | 632 | 7.4% | $57,183 | 0.78 |
| Construction | 600 | 7.0% | $58,608 | 0.83 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 450 | 5.2% | $30,356 | 1.09 |
| Wholesale trade | 355 | 4.1% | $50,104 | 0.65 |
| Finance and insurance | 208 | 2.4% | $66,384 | 0.37 |
| Real estate and rental | 110 | 1.3% | $40,488 | 0.51 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 89 | 1.0% | $25,524 | 0.38 |
| Information | 73 | 0.9% | $53,652 | 0.28 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 75.4% |
| Public transit | 0.6% |
| Walk | 2.8% |
| Work from home | 8.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 12.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,606 |
| Income per person | $28,155 |
| Median gross rent per month | $781 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.2% |
| Median home value | $98,000 |
| Homeowners | 61.5% |
| Poverty rate | 20.1% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 88.1 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $44,110 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 2.95%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 41.2 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 13.3% |
| Born abroad | 1.3% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 57.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -3.1 | 26 | 75 |
| Feb | -1.7 | 29 | 68 |
| Mar | 4.2 | 40 | 91 |
| Apr | 10.8 | 51 | 109 |
| May | 16.6 | 62 | 118 |
| Jun | 21.4 | 71 | 130 |
| Jul | 23.2 | 74 | 107 |
| Aug | 22.6 | 73 | 95 |
| Sep | 19.1 | 66 | 80 |
| Oct | 11.9 | 53 | 91 |
| Nov | 5.1 | 41 | 82 |
| Dec | -0.5 | 31 | 83 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muncie | IN | 19 mi | 64,751 | $44,471 | $904 |
| Yorktown | IN | 20 mi | 11,699 | $81,674 | $926 |
| Anderson | IN | 21 mi | 55,367 | $46,909 | $925 |
| Connersville | IN | 22 mi | 13,109 | $48,854 | $787 |
| Greenfield | IN | 23 mi | 24,940 | $76,127 | $1,177 |
| Richmond | IN | 26 mi | 35,581 | $45,399 | $822 |
| Fishers | IN | 32 mi | 102,337 | $130,203 | $1,611 |
| Lawrence | IN | 33 mi | 49,517 | $74,022 | $1,178 |
| Shelbyville | IN | 34 mi | 20,296 | $55,602 | $995 |
| Noblesville | IN | 35 mi | 73,362 | $104,047 | $1,389 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
17,367 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$781 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.2% of the median household income.
$51,606 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.6% (BLS county, Henry County (latest month 2026M09)).
Indiana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.