In 2002 the New Waverly area's largest employer was Louisiana-Pacific's large plywood-manufacturing mill.

As of that year most residents traveled to Conroe, Huntsville, and/or Willis to buy goods.

[5] The Sam Houston National Forest is located nearby and operates a ranger station in the vicinity.

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 914 people, 329 households, and 215 families residing in the city.

The Citizenship rate as of 2019, 99.6% of New Waverly, TX residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%.

In 2018, the percentage of US citizens in New Waverly, TX was 98.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

Gulf Coast Trades Center, a charter school specializing in vocational training for at-risk youth, is located in proximity to New Waverly.