Newton County, Missouri · Neosho
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Newton County averages 17 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly December to February, and 22% of its homes predate 1960.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 11.2 times a year here, most often in May. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Backups often follow heavy rain, which Newton County gets about 11.2 days a year, when storm water overloads sewer mains and pushes up through the lowest drain in the house.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 67 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
21% of occupied homes in Newton County heat mainly with wood or propane, below the Missouri county median of 24.5%.
Muggy summer nights, lows of 65°F or more, come about 78 times a year in Newton County. Mold after a leak spreads fastest from June through August.
Local risk profile
About 60,118 people live in Newton County, 625 square miles in southwest Missouri, in roughly 24,866 homes. The county seat is Neosho, and Granby, Seneca and Loma Linda round out the largest towns. The county's median home was built in 1984.
43/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Moderate Newton County ranks 81 of 114 Missouri counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Newton County ranks highest compared with other Missouri counties.
Newton County is milder than most of Missouri, but not mild enough to skip winterizing. In the 2015–2024 record the county logged about 17 nights a year at or below 20°F (105th of 114) and 76 below freezing. Twenty degrees is roughly where uninsulated pipes start to freeze.
On February 16, 2021 the low fell to about -12°F, and in the stretch ending February 2021 the county went 12 days in a row below freezing. Leaks from split pipes typically appear the day the thaw arrives.
Expect the hardest freezes in January, inside a season that runs December to February. That's when an outdoor spigot left connected to a hose, or a pipe in a crawl space, is most likely to split.
On average the first fall freeze arrives around Oct 31 and the last spring freeze around Apr 5.
Rainfall is about average for Missouri. The county gets about 46.6 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 11.2 days of an inch or more (46th of 114). Those downpours cluster in May, August and October, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 5.24 inches on December 27, 2015. Multi-day storms matter most for basements; the wettest three days on record here totaled 8.13 inches (through December 29, 2015).
About 67 days a year swing from below freezing at night to above freezing by day. Those freeze-thaw cycles feed ice dams on roofs, open cracks in foundations and driveways, and stress pipes that are already marginal.
Housing
Missouri's 114 counties range widely in housing age; Newton ranks 85th, with 45% of its homes built before 1980.
25% of homes were built in 2000 or later, more than in most of Missouri. Newer plumbing rarely corrodes, so damage here tends to come from appliance supply lines, water heaters, sump pumps and storms.
The 1980s and 1990s account for 30% of the county's homes. If yours is from those decades, look under the sinks and at the water heater for gray plastic pipe stamped PB, which is polybutylene and leak-prone.
Manufactured and mobile homes make up 13% of the housing here. Water lines in the underbelly depend on intact skirting and working heat tape, and they're usually the first to freeze in a cold snap.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 78 times a year here, above the Missouri county median of 64.5. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60%, ideally 30 to 50%. Basements can pass 60% on their own in summer, so a dehumidifier matters even without a leak, and anything wet should be dried within 24 to 48 hours.
Mold remediation: what to expectHeating fuel matters for fire risk. In Newton County it's 28% utility gas, 50% electric, 14% propane and 8% wood. Wood heat is above the Missouri norm. Annual chimney and vent inspection, which the NFPA recommends, is one of the most effective fire-prevention habits for these homes.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Newton County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Barry, Jasper and Lawrence get more pipe-freeze nights than Newton. All of its neighbors see more heavy-rain days. Lawrence County has the oldest housing nearby, with 51% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Newton | Missouri median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 22% | 25% | 70 of 114 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 45% | 53% | 85 of 114 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 25% | 21% | 34 of 114 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 13% | 9.8% | 28 of 114 |
| Vacant homes | 11% | 15% | 88 of 114 |
| Wood or propane heat | 21% | 25% | 70 of 114 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 17/yr | 28/yr | 105 of 114 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 11/yr | 10/yr | 46 of 114 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 67/yr | 77/yr | 106 of 114 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 78/yr | 65/yr | 9 of 114 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Missouri county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Newton County: freezing from December to February, heavy rain in May, August and October.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology