It is located in the area around Yonge Street and Finch Avenue in the district of North York between the east and west branches of the Don River.

Newtonbrook's early industries included saw and grist mills on the east and west branches of the Don River.

In 1847, Lieutenant Colonel William S. Durie of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada subdivided part of his Newtonbrook property.

As of the end of 2006, Newtonbrook was the northernmost area of Toronto to be affected by the infill development (mainly along the Finch Ave. and Yonge St. corridors).

Older detached and semi-detached houses from the 1950s were demolished (or converted to mixed residential-commercial use), with townhouse complexes built in their place.

Newtonbrook is served by Finch subway station, which is the northern terminus of the Toronto Transit Commission's (TTC) Line 1 Yonge–University, located just south of the neighbourhood.

Pearson was born at a manse in the intersection of Yonge Street and Hendon Avenue, now the site of the North American Life Centre.