Jasper County, IA

Jasper County’s strategic location near Des Moines and Iowa City, gives businesses and residents the opportunity to enjoy living in a small town or rural environment, while being close enough to the city to enjoy work and business opportunities. Located 35 miles east of Des Moines, it is the 17th most populous county of Iowa’s 99 counties (2020 census). The county seat is Newton - a bustling community where businesses are growing and investments are being made into quality of life projects. For example, a softball complex with indoor fields is proposed for Newton. This $32-million, 16-field tournament softball complex would host people from across the state and be located north of Iowa Speedway. 

Education 

There are five public school districts and two private schools entirely located in Jasper County (along with six districts that serve parts of the county), each providing a high quality K-12 education.

• Baxter Community School District
• Colfax-Mingo Community School District
• Lynnville-Sully Community School District
• Newton Community School District
• Prairie City Monroe Community School District
• Newton Christian School
• Sully Christian School

Jasper County has hiking and biking trails, with 25 miles of trails managed by the Jasper County Conservation Board. For those who prefer exploring by water, the South Skunk River traverses Jasper County and has two main access points: Oswalt Bridge in Colfax and Beyers Bridge near Reasnor.

The County is also home to a wide variety of parks and nature preserves, including the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, a major environmental education and outdoor recreation area. You can view a list of additional area facilities here.