Health · Norton

Norton, VA health

Norton differs from Virginia on 21 of 40 measures. Where it trails the state most: more adults with COPD (11% vs 6.2%) and more smokers (20% vs 12.2%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · CDC's estimate for Norton
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Norton’s Health Grade: D

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Norton is healthier than 8% of U.S. towns, and than 37% of towns with similar incomes.

C-Self-rated healthDPhysical distressDMental distressC-ObesityDDiabetesDSmokingC-Exercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 8%
Less healthyHealthier
Virginia towns we grade (374)Healthier than 7%
Towns with similar incomes, $31K–$52K (2,703)Healthier than 37%

Better than its income would suggest. Norton is healthier than most towns with similar incomes, even though its overall grade is D.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Norton could be anywhere from D− to C+.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Virginia ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Norton with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Norton uses CDC’s own estimate for it. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Norton compares with Virginia

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Norton adults…

41 of every 100 Norton adults have high blood pressure
Virginia: 35 in 100 · worse · margin 36.8–45.6%

Bars show Norton; the black tick is Virginia. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Norton, betterNorton, worseToo close to callVirginia
Get no exerciseshare of adults 31.6% Norton
VA 23.8%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 36% Norton
VA 36%
Binge drinkshare of adults 14.1% Norton
VA 14.5%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 20% Norton
VA 12.2%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Norton adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Virginia.

79%
Yearly checkup
VA 79%
60%
Dentist visit
VA 68%
84%
Cholesterol check
VA 88%
64%
Colon screening
VA 67%
74%
Mammogram
VA 79%
78%
Taking BP meds
VA 77%
1 in 10
working-age adults has no health insurance
Norton 10% · Virginia 1 in 11 (8.7%)
Mind & connection

How Norton adults are doing

1 in 3Norton adults feel lonely
34.2% · Virginia 33.8% · too close to call
1 in 4Norton adults have been diagnosed with depression
27.4% · Virginia 21.8% · worse
1 in 5Norton adults lack social or emotional support
21% · Virginia 21.6% · too close to call
1 in 5Norton adults are in frequent mental distress
20.3% · Virginia 15.9% · worse
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 5
Norton adults worry about having enough food
18.5% · VA 13.1% · worse
1 in 7
Norton adults worry about keeping their housing
13.4% · VA 10.9% · worse
1 in 10
Norton adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
9.9% · VA 7.1% · worse
1 in 10
Norton adults lack reliable transportation
10.2% · VA 7.4% · worse

19% of Norton adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 10.7% across Virginia.

Disability

Living with a disability

39.5%

of Norton adults live with a disability (Virginia 30%). Walking or climbing stairs is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs19.8%
Thinking or memory19.3%
Hearing9.2%
Errands alone11.9%
Vision6.9%
Dressing or bathing5.5%

Black tick: Virginia. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Getting care

Care in and near Norton

No hospital or community health center in Norton itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERLonesome Pine HospitalBig Stone Gap · 8.2 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyWhitesburg Arh Hospital★★★★★ · 16.3 miDirections →
+Low-cost careAppalachia Family Health CenterAppalachia · 8.2 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
8.2 mi
Lonesome Pine Hospital
Big Stone Gap · ★★★★★
ER
8.2 mi
Appalachia Family Health Center
Appalachia · community health center
Sliding-scale fees
10.7 mi
Clinch River Health Services
2 sites · nearest in Dungannon
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
16.3 mi
Whitesburg Arh Hospital
Whitesburg · ★★★★★
ER
18.5 mi
Dickenson Community Hospital
Clintwood · not rated
ERRural critical access
26.6 mi
Lee County Community Hospital
Pennington Gap · not rated
ERRural critical access
! Primary careNorton's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Wise/Norton City · need score 14 of 25
! Dental careNorton's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Wise County/Norton City · need score 17 of 25
! Mental healthNorton's county is a federal shortage area.Planning District I MHCA · need score 18 of 25

Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Norton. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Norton
MeasureNortonMarginVirginia
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure41.1%36.8–45.6%35.4%worse
High cholesterol40.6%36.2–45.3%38%about the same
Obesity41%32.5–50.2%34.5%about the same
Arthritis33%29.6–36.7%26.2%worse
Depression27.4%23.5–31.6%21.8%worse
Lost all teeth (65+)17.3%14–21.2%11.1%worse
Asthma11.9%10.5–13.4%10.4%worse
Cancer (not skin)9%8–10%7.7%worse
Diabetes15.4%13.4–17.6%12.5%worse
COPD11%9.4–12.8%6.2%worse
Heart disease8.7%7.7–9.8%6.1%worse
Stroke4.7%4.1–5.3%3.3%worse
Habits
Smoke cigarettes20%16.6–23.6%12.2%worse
Binge drink14.1%11.4–17%14.5%about the same
Get no exercise31.6%26.3–37.2%23.8%worse
Sleep under 7 hours36%28.8–43.7%36%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup78.6%74.8–82%79.2%about the same
Dentist visit60.2%56.3–64.3%67.9%worse
Cholesterol check84.3%81.8–86.8%87.5%worse
Colon screening64%58.4–69.4%67.4%about the same
Mammogram73.9%65.1–81.6%78.6%about the same
Taking BP meds78.3%75.5–80.9%76.8%about the same
No health insurance10%8–12.6%8.7%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely34.2%29–39.8%33.8%about the same
Lack emotional support21%17.7–24.7%21.6%about the same
Frequent mental distress20.3%17.9–22.8%15.9%worse
Fair or poor health25.4%21.8–29.4%18.1%worse
Frequent physical distress17.8%15.5–20.3%12.8%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity18.5%15.1–22.3%13.1%worse
Housing insecurity13.4%11.1–15.9%10.9%worse
Utility shut-off threat9.9%8.4–11.6%7.1%worse
No reliable transportation10.2%8.7–11.8%7.4%worse
Receive SNAP19%15.4–22.8%10.7%
Disability
Any disability39.5%34.4–44.8%30%
Walking or climbing stairs19.8%17.1–22.9%13.5%
Thinking or memory19.3%16.7–22.2%14%
Hearing9.2%8.1–10.4%6.4%
Vision6.9%6–8%4.7%
Dressing or bathing5.5%4.7–6.4%3.5%
Errands alone11.9%10.3–13.8%7.7%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Norton door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Virginia figure falls inside it, we don't call Norton better or worse.
CDC's own town estimateCDC publishes Norton directly, so these are its own figures.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Virginia figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01