Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety28#11,217/15,637
Economy21#12,288/15,631
Housing70#4,442/14,977
Health2#15,362/15,609
Healthcare60#6,251/15,650
Environment100#34/15,453
Education51#7,591/15,649
Infrastructure18#12,897/15,650
Community9#14,268/15,651
Leisure & amenities49#7,977/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Norton, Virginia ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Norton city value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Pharmacies · high5.8 /10k
100/100Virginia 1.7 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsNorton city value
Restaurants and bars · high34.5 /10k
100/100Virginia 8.4 /10kUnited States 9.0 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsNorton city value
Dentists · high143 /100k
100/100Virginia 76 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteNorton city value
Hot days · low0 days
99/100Virginia 20 daysUnited States 42 days2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationNorton city value
Homicide rate · low0.0 /100k
94/100Virginia 4.3 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataNorton city value
Grocery stores · high2.9 /10k
93/100Virginia 1.5 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsNorton city value

Weaknesses

Life expectancy · low65.3 yrs
0/100Virginia 77.8 yrsUnited States 77.6 yrs2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteNorton city value
Property crime rate · high6,457 /100k
0/100Virginia 1,354 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationNorton city value
Public libraries · low0.0 /10k
0/100Virginia 0.4 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesNorton city value
Social associations · low0.0 /10k
0/100Virginia 11.1 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteNorton city value
Premature death · high20,274 /100k
1/100Virginia 7,587 /100kUnited States 8,123 /100k2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteNorton city value
Arts, entertainment and recreation · low0.0 /10k
1/100Virginia 4.6 /10kUnited States 5.5 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsNorton city value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationFalling
3,970 (2015-2019) → 3,577 (2020-2024)
−9.9%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
57.4% (2015-2019) → 41.4% (2020-2024)
−16 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
68.0% (2015-2019) → 80.1% (2020-2024)
+12 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Average commute timeWorsening
12.5 min (2015-2019) → 20.0 min (2020-2024)
+60%5 yearsCensus table B08013US 26.9 min → 26.4 min
Child poverty rateImproving
43.5% (2015-2019) → 31.7% (2020-2024)
−12 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
High school diploma or higherImproving
84.0% (2015-2019) → 94.2% (2020-2024)
+10 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Norton, Virginia improved on 2 of 13 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 10 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Household income+43%$29,000 → $41,495
Broadband+12 points68.0% → 80.1%

Declined1

Bachelor's+−9.1 points22.8% → 13.7%

All 13 measures

Change of every measure of Norton, Virginia between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	12.5 min2015-2019	20.0 min2020-2024	+7.5 min	Within the margin of error	5%
Bachelor's degree or higher	22.8%2015-2019	13.7%2020-2024	−9.1 points	Declined	2%
Broadband subscriptions	68.0%2015-2019	80.1%2020-2024	+12 points	Improved	69%
Child poverty rate	43.5%2015-2019	31.7%2020-2024	−12 points	Within the margin of error	85%
Effective property tax rate	0.90%2015-2019	0.85%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	25%
High school diploma or higher	84.0%2015-2019	94.2%2020-2024	+10 points	Within the margin of error	96%
Home price to income ratio	3.2×2015-2019	2.7×2020-2024	−0.6×	Within the margin of error	95%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.5092015-2019	0.4952020-2024	−0.014	Within the margin of error	63%
Median household income	$29,0002015-2019	$41,4952020-2024	+43%	Improved	78%
Poverty rate	28.2%2015-2019	26.3%2020-2024	−1.9 points	Within the margin of error	61%
Rent as share of income	34.0%2015-2019	27.1%2020-2024	−6.9 points	Within the margin of error	88%
Rent-burdened households	57.4%2015-2019	41.4%2020-2024	−16 points	Within the margin of error	90%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	13.1%2015-2019	13.0%2020-2024	−0 points	Within the margin of error	47%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Norton, Virginia five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Norton, Virginia in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Norton, Virginia itself moved +11.6 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

3,577 residents

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 40–49 women (+6.6 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

3,577 residents

Norton, Virginia
Virginia share

White92%3,275
Black2.2%†79
Hispanic or Latino3.1%†112

Education

2,509 residents (±187)

Norton, Virginia
Virginia share

No high school diploma5.8%†145
High school or GED45%1,140
Some college28%692

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,605 households (±161)

Norton, Virginia
Virginia share

Under $25k35%†560
$25k–50k22%†356
$50k–75k20%†325
$75k–100k6.9%†110
$100k–150k11%†175
$150k–200k3.6%†57
$200k or more1.4%†22

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,605 households (±161)

Norton, Virginia
Virginia share

Own50%802
Rent50%803

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

783 households (±161)

Norton, Virginia
Virginia share

Under $75066%†514
$750–1,00015%†114
$1,000–1,5007.5%†59

Home values

802 homes (±159)

Norton, Virginia
Virginia share

Under $150k63%†502
$150k–250k29%†229
$250k–400k8.9%†71

Age of homes

1,764 homes (±170)

Norton, Virginia
Virginia share

2010 or later2.0%†35
2000–20098.4%†148
1980–199922%†395

Size of homes

1,764 homes (±170)

Norton, Virginia
Virginia share

Studio0.0%0
1 bedroom16%†288
2 bedrooms32%560

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,321 workers (±250)

Norton, Virginia
Virginia share

Drive alone72%950
Carpool2.3%†31
Public transit4.2%†56
Walk1.4%†18
Bike0.0%0
Work from home18%†244
Other1.7%†22

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+14.6 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

1,077 workers (±254)

Norton, Virginia
Virginia share

Under 15 min55%†592
15–29 min28%†301
30–44 min8.4%†91

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Norton city, the county holding most of Norton's residents.

Norton city has 191 employer establishments, 543 for every 10,000 residents (2.19× the US rate of 248; 2.25× Virginia's), with 3,952 paid employees at an average annual pay of $57,973. The Census Bureau also counts 199 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 191; 199 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 543; US 248 · Virginia 241
Paid employees: 3,952
Average annual pay: $57,973; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Norton city by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	41	117	5.60×More than typical	316	$67,073	7
Restaurants and other eating places	19	54.1	2.94×More than typical	345	$16,261	—
Offices of physicians	18	51.2	7.91×More than typical	143	$96,741	3
Limited-service restaurants	10	28.4	3.55×More than typical	200	$17,325	—
Offices of other health practitioners	9	25.6	4.21×Too few to compare	56	$35,482	4
Clothing and accessories stores	8	22.8	6.27×Too few to compare	67	$16,164	5
Full-service restaurants	8	22.8	2.96×Too few to compare	140	$14,750	—
Legal services	8	22.8	4.23×Too few to compare	59	$41,525	—
Banks and credit unions	6	17.1	5.28×Too few to compare	31	$49,903	—
Outpatient care centers	6	17.1	9.28×Too few to compare	65	$57,769	—
Insurance agencies and brokerages	5	14.2	3.24×Too few to compare	28	$75,357	4
Personal care services	5	14.2	2.98×Too few to compare	10	$18,100	13

Rank places for an industry Open Norton city

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 3,515 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $3.9M of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Norton, Virginia: $1,092 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $3.9M; +11,381% vs FY2025
Per resident: $1,092; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.7%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Forest Service$3.9M99%
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention$28.4K0.7%

Top recipients

DOT CONSTRUCTION, INC$3.8M97%
MJL ENTERPRISES, LLC$76.2K2.0%
DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING ASSOCIATES PC$28.4K0.7%
GERMRIP LLC$5,6200.1%

Spending by fiscal year

327KFY2017
28.9KFY2018
214.6KFY2019
48.1KFY2020
-2.6KFY2021
46.9KFY2022
94.6KFY2023
107.6KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Nonresidential building construction · 2362$3.8M97%
Other miscellaneous manufacturing · 3399$76.2K2.0%
Offices of physicians · 6211$28.4K0.7%
Services to buildings and dwellings · 5617$5,6200.1%

Largest awards whose ZIP code lies mostly in Norton, Virginia

FY26-016994 THIS TASK ORDER INCORPORATES THE MANDATORY CONTRACT CLAUSE FAR 52.222 90, ADDRESSING DEI DISCRIMINATION BY FEDERAL CONTRACTORS, AS REQUIRED BY EXECUTIVE ORDER 14398. GWJ ROAD RECOVERY TASK ORDER DISASTER RECOVERY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT$3.8M
DOT CONSTRUCTION, INC· Norton city, VA· Construction & real property· Aug 10, 2026 – Aug 10, 2026· 12445126F0026
B READER SERVICES$84.5K
DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING ASSOCIATES PC· Norton city, VA· Health & medical· May 28, 2024 – Jun 9, 2026· 75D30124P18954
PURCHASE BEAR PROOF DUMPSTERS FOR THE GEORGE WASHINGTON AND JEFFERSON NATIONAL FOREST$76.3K
MJL ENTERPRISES, LLC· Norton city, VA· Other equipment & supplies· Sep 11, 2026 – Sep 11, 2026· 12444026F0096

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Norton, Virginia, so they do not add up across cities.

Norton, Virginia's figures are part of those of Norton city, VA ($3.9M in FY2026), never added to them: 99.8% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Norton is mostly in Norton city.

See federal money in Norton city

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Norton, Virginia is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

H. Morgan GriffithR-VA-9 · 100% of residentsWith party 97%Missed 1.3%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Norton city43100% of residents

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/5157688

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends