[3] Four limited access highways, I-95, I-295, I-495, and Delaware Route 141 intersect within one mile (1.6 km) of the town.

[4] According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has an area of 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2), of which 2.22% is water.

Prior to European settlement, the Minquas (or Susquehannock) peoples lived in and around modern-day Newport.

[5] In 1735, longtime area resident and businessman John Justis purchased 100 acres (0.40 km2) and several years later the streets of a town called Newport-Ayre were laid out.

Newport became a center of commerce in the early 19th century, as Conestoga wagons transported farm products from as far away as Lancaster County, Pennsylvania to Newport's docks on the Christina River, where the supplies were loaded on ships bound for Boston, New York and Philadelphia.

[9] The General Motors Wilmington Assembly automobile manufacturing facility was located on Boxwood Road just north of the town and operated from 1947 to 2009.

In October 2009, Fisker Automotive announced it would begin manufacturing electric automobiles at the Boxwood Road location.

Newport is served by the Red Clay Consolidated School District for public education.

[11] Richey Elementary School (grades K–5) is located in town proper off of East Highland Avenue.

DART First State provides bus service to Newport along Route 5, which follows DE 4 and heads northeast to Wilmington and southwest to the Christiana Mall.

[16] The Northeast Corridor rail line that carries Amtrak and SEPTA Regional Rail's Wilmington/Newark Line passes through Newport but no trains stop in the town; the nearest station serving Amtrak and SEPTA trains is Wilmington station.

[15] Delmarva Power, a subsidiary of Exelon, provides electricity and natural gas to Newport.