Norton gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $121K, 2.2 years of the county’s $54K median household income. It grades B− overall, 76th among Kansas's 150 graded towns. On the plus side, it is more walkable than 83% of U.S. towns. Norton’s average commute is 7 minutes, below both the Kansas town median (20 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 24 of Kansas’ 373 towns score higher on the outdoors. Norton's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 89% of U.S. towns.

StrongestACivic life ACost of living A⁻WalkabilityWeakestCHealth CHazard risk CSchools

What makes Norton stand out

Where Norton beats most towns.

Library visits per resident

3.7 times the library visits per person

than the typical Kansas town

IMLS Public Libraries Survey.

Typical home value

Norton$121K

Kansas$246K

Cost of livingA

More affordable than 88% of U.S. towns

Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.

WalkabilityA⁻

More walkable than 83% of U.S. towns

3.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

How Norton grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Kansas), ordered by how far Norton is from typical.

How grading works

Cost of livingAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.2 of 20; 3.5% of households have no carA⁻Open →HealthNorton County Hospital 0.2 miles awayCOpen →Hazard riskhail tops the listCOpen →SchoolsCOpen →Jobs & incomeBOpen →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors1 mile of trail; 5% conserved landA⁻Open →History1 place on the National Register; 8 notable people born hereA⁻Open →Civic life18.4 library visits per resident; 11.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 35.1; 29% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Norton Downtown Historic District · National Register of Historic Places

Norton’s story

154 years in pictures

Census counts: 634 in 1880, 2,747 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1904 and 2 maps from 1951 on.

1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.

1872Norton is settled

Explore the history →

Getting set up

Moving to Norton: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Norton, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerCity of NortonEIAHIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Norton water system2 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Norton’s trash rules yet

SchoolsNorton Community Schools Unified School District 211Which school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Kansas you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person until 21 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 21 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereNorton County ClerkNorton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Dec 2025

ZIP code6765467654 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Norton.

Norton is healthier than towns with similar incomes, has homes that are cheap against local pay and trades workers with Center-District 1 Township and other neighbors.

HousingCost of living grade A

Compared with most of Kansas and the rest of the country, the median rent in Norton is lower

At 2.2 years of the county’s $54K median household income, the typical home (about $121K) costs less against local pay than in 82% of Kansas towns; that ratio is one input to its A for cost of living.

A typical home in Norton is worth about $121,000, down 1.5% in a year, 51% below the Kansas typical home. 77% of households are owner-occupiers locally.

$121KZillow home value

	Norton	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Median rent	$598 a month	$977 a month	$1,185 a month
Households that own their home	77%	72%	73%

Typical home value

Norton$121K

Kansas$246K

−1.5%

value change, 1 year

Full pageNorton’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsDown 1.5% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 2.3 years of income Rents$598 a month · Median rent

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

SchoolsC

Norton’s public schools trail 71% of Kansas districts

Below: Two of its 3 schools, each with why it was picked. Public schools: the Norton Community Schools. 3 public schools serve Norton, with 701 students in all.

29%of KS districts it outscoresCSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Eisenhower ElemLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6	Grades PK–6	424	B⁺
Norton HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	181	D

Full pageNorton’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsNorton Community Schools Every school3 schools · Eisenhower Elem Questions“Are Norton’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within KS on state tests and graduation

HealthC

Norton is less healthy than 74% of U.S. towns

Against the 6,819 U.S. towns with household incomes like Norton’s, it is healthier than 53%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income.

Against the Kansas average, Norton comes out ahead on 1 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 7. Among adults locally, 31% get no exercise outside work.

26%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade

	Norton	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Obesity (CDC PLACES)	42%	37%	35%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)	31%	26%	25%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	39%	34%	35%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	17%	15%	14%

32 measures vs. Kansas

1 better24 too close to call7 worse

What stands out	Norton	KS
More adults treating high blood pressure	80.9%	77.6%
More older adults who have lost all their teeth	17.5%	11.3%

Norton County Hospital

0.2 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

13th

percentile among KS towns

Full pageNorton’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby0.2 miles to an ER · Norton County Hospital How adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distress Every CDC estimateBetter than KS on 1 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Climate

Four seasons and hot summers: that is Norton’s year

The July high locally is 91°F.

20″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter18–43°

Spring37–66°

Summer61–89°

Fall39–68°

Oct 12

typical first frost

May 1

typical last frost

+1.1°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageNorton’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 91°, January lows 16°Rain & snow20″ of snow a winter · 23 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.1° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C

The biggest natural risk in Norton is hail, at a high overall level

Households in Norton have drawn federal disaster aid in 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2009. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 67% of U.S. communities. FEMA puts 28% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to hail, and 18% to inland flooding.

67risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

HailInland floodingDrought

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageNorton’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesHigh risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters3 federal disasters · Paid out in Norton Get ready7.7 events a year, on average · Ready for hail

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Who lives here

More children than Kansas overall

Kansas has 36% of adults 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or more; here it is 29%. Children under 18 are 31% of residents (24% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 19% of residents (23% statewide). For residents in Norton, the share who are 65 or older is 14%. The Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate puts Norton at 2,651 residents, down 3.7% since 2020.

35.1median age · KS 37.4

	Norton	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Under 18	31%	24%	22%
Median age	35.1 years	38.2 years	40.5 years
Aged 65 or older	14%	17%	18%

NortonKansasUnited States

KSU.S.

Ages · share of residents

20%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma2%

High school29%

Some college20%

Associate’s19%

Bachelor’s24%

Graduate6%

Women and men · all residents

55% women, 45% men

About 82 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±4.5 points). Across Kansas, 49.8% of residents are women.

Ages and education in Norton
	Norton	KS	U.S.
Under 10	20.1%	12.5%	11.6%
10 to 17	11%	11.3%	10.3%
18 to 24	1.7%	10.2%	9.1%
25 to 34	17.1%	12.9%	13.7%
35 to 44	15.2%	12.9%	13.2%
45 to 54	7%	11.2%	12.2%
55 to 64	13.9%	12.2%	12.7%
65 to 74	4.2%	10.1%	10.2%
75 and older	9.8%	6.9%	7%
No diploma	2.3%	8%	10.4%
High school	29.4%	25.4%	26%
Some college	19.6%	21.8%	19.1%
Associate’s	19.4%	9.1%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	23.6%	22.2%	21.6%
Graduate	5.6%	13.4%	14.1%

Full pageNorton by the numbersOpen the page

Ages35.1 median age · 14% are 65 or older Schooling29% have a four-year degree Homes77% own their home · Homeowners Income$53K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,700, single groups can be off by several points

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B

About one in three working residents works right in Norton

Norton has about as many jobs (1,117) as working residents, but only 312 people both live and work here. Jobs based here fell from 1,881 in 2013 to 1,117.

For half of commuters, work is under 11 miles away. In Norton, 30% of working residents work locally. Employers in Norton shed 764 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 1,117. The income of the median household for Norton comes to $53,000.

30%work in town

	Norton	Kansas towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	30%	15%	8%
Below the poverty line	3.2%	9.2%	9.6%
Median household income	$53,000	$73,000	$80,000

Where working residents work

In Norton30%

Center-District 1 Township14%

Almena12%

Wichita3%

Hays2%

11 mi

median commute distance

1,117

jobs based in Norton

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

A−

Walkability grade: more walkable than 83% of U.S. towns

Full pageNorton’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here1,117 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work30% work in Norton Commute times7 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 11 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

OutdoorsA⁻

Conserved land covers 4.8% of Norton

The biggest park or preserve is Elmwood Park, at 56 acres. In 1 park or preserve, walkers have 0.6 miles of trail. Norton’s density of trails is 0.3 miles per square mile.

4.8%conserved