1st Advantage MortgageThe median Norton city household earns $41,495, and 26% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Virginia license first.
On this page
- Who lives in Norton city
- The Norton city job picture
- Income in Norton city compared with Virginia
- Renting and owning in Norton city
- How Norton city compares with nearby counties
- Towns and communities in Norton city
- A Norton city household budget, worked through
- Reading the Norton city data as a borrower
- More Norton city figures
- Checklist for Norton city applicants
- Checking a lender's license in Virginia
- More guides for Norton city
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Norton city
Roughly 3,577 residents live in Norton city, Virginia, 132nd by population among the state's 133 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 7 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 478 per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 1 place in the county (1 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Norton, with about 3,577 residents, or 100% of the county. Because Norton city is small, the survey's margins of error are wide; treat the numbers as approximate.
The Norton city job picture
By the Census industry count, 22% of employed Norton city residents work in professional and administrative services and 20% in education and health care. Arts, lodging and food service stands out: 15% of workers here, versus 8% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.8% in Norton city. 9% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 18% work from home. Only 10.7% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Norton city | Gap to Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Professional and administrative services | 22.5% | +5.7 pts |
| Education and health care | 20.4% | -1.9 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 15.3% | +7.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 14.2% | +4.4 pts |
| Construction | 8.6% | +2.0 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 5.3% | +0.5 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Income in Norton city compared with Virginia
At $41,495, the typical Norton city household income is 37% below the median U.S. county ($65,681). Only 131 Virginia counties post a higher median.
| Households earning | Norton city | +/- vs Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 43.1% | +25.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.1% | +5.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 14.5% | -14.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 1.4% | -16.3 pts |
About 43% of households earn under $35,000, while 16% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 26.3%, 16 points higher than the state's 9.9%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.495 here. A household earning below the $41,495 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Renting and owning in Norton city
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $692 in Norton city versus $1,579 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 41% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $110,000, about 2.7 times the median household income. Owners occupy 50% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1973.
| Norton city | Virginia | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $692/mo | $1,579/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $110,000 | $383,700 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 50% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 41% | 49% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 38% | 25% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 13.3% | 4.3% | n/a |
With renters making up 50% of households, many Norton city borrowers have no home equity to fall back on, so the cheapest written offer on an unsecured loan matters more.
How Norton city compares with nearby counties
Distances run center to center, from Wise County at 3 miles out to Lee County at 32. All of the six report a higher median household income than Norton city; Wise County is highest at $52,943 and Letcher County lowest at $41,793. The list crosses into Kentucky, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton city | - | $41,495 | $692/mo | 50% |
| Wise County, VA | 3 mi | $52,943 | $790/mo | 74% |
| Scott County, VA | 15 mi | $46,349 | $699/mo | 77% |
| Letcher County, KY | 18 mi | $41,793 | $669/mo | 74% |
| Dickenson County, VA | 21 mi | $47,254 | $738/mo | 76% |
| Russell County, VA | 29 mi | $50,012 | $653/mo | 76% |
| Lee County, VA | 32 mi | $41,827 | $738/mo | 73% |
Towns and communities in Norton city
Norton is the only Census place mainly inside Norton city, with about 3,577 of the county's 3,577 residents. Live in one of these Norton city communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton | city | 3,577 | $41,495 | $692 | 0 mi |
A Norton city household budget, worked through
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Norton city's medians:
- $3,458 a month: gross income for a household at the Norton city median
- Housing at the median rent of $692 uses 20%
- Under a 36% cap, $1,245 total minus rent leaves $553
- $795: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Norton city's.
Reading the Norton city data as a borrower
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Norton city borrowers.
- Health costs. With 10% of the county uninsured, an interest-free hospital payment plan usually beats a loan (medical bills).
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 13% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- Lower-cost alternatives. In a county with 26% in poverty, nonprofit credit counseling may beat a loan (options).
More Norton city figures
Degree holders: 14% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 10.3%, against 6.9% for Virginia.
| Measure | Norton city | Virginia statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.3 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 13.7% | 42.2% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.8% | 8.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 10.3% | 6.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 10.7% | 6.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 18.5% | 18.3% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 26.3% | 9.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.8% | 4.3% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Norton city workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 55.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 27.9% |
| 30 to 44 min | 8.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 0.0% |
| 60+ min | 8.6% |
Checklist for Norton city applicants
Before you apply, wherever you live in Norton city:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Checking a lender's license in Virginia
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Norton city, check the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. Statewide data and rules: Virginia guide.
More guides for Norton city
The Virginia guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Norton city a high-income county?
Its $41,495 median ranks 132nd of 133 Virginia counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How does Norton city rent compare with Virginia?
$692 locally versus $1,579 for the state, 56% below.
Which towns does the Norton city guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 1 Census places: Norton.
Will a Norton city address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Virginia as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who regulates personal lenders for Norton city residents?
The Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in Virginia; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.