# Norton (city), Virginia: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy

No data center or power plant project is on record in Norton (city), but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Norton (city) is an independent city: it is its own county-equivalent and is not part of any county. Next door, Wise County has 1 data center. Employers here counted 3,167 jobs in 2025, down 7.2% from 2019. Unemployment was 4.5% in August 2026, against 3.7% in 2019. 3,477 people live here, down 5.5% since 2020.

## Cities and towns in Norton (city)

Norton (city) is an independent city: it is its own county-equivalent and is not part of any county.

Norton3,477 residents

Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.

## What changed in Norton (city)

| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Virginia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 3,680 | 3,477 | ▼ 5.5% | 132nd of 133 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,412 | 3,167 | ▼ 7.2% | 114th of 133 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $40,454 | $48,561 | ▲ 20.0% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.7% | 4.5% | ▲ 0.8pts | — |

## Who powers Norton (city)

No operating power plant is located in Norton (city) in the EIA-860M inventory. Its power comes over the grid from plants elsewhere.

## The Norton (city) labor market

| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,167 | $48,561 | 1.00 |

Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.

## Data centers and local rules in Norton (city)

No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Norton (city). Virginia has 13 local measures on record statewide.

## Norton (city) and its neighbors

Of the 1 counties that border Norton (city), Wise County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.

[

| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton (city) | 3,477 | ▼ 7.2% | — | — | — | — |
| Wise County](https://savrn.com/power-supply-chain-map/virginia/wise-county) | 34,824 | ▼ 6.2% | 671 MW | 20 MW | 1 | — |

## More of Virginia

[All Virginia countiesThe state power page and county mapOpen →](https://savrn.com/power-supply-chain-map/virginia)[Wise County34,824 peopleOpen →](https://savrn.com/power-supply-chain-map/virginia/wise-county)

## Norton (city), answered from the record

### Are there data centers in Norton (city)?

The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Norton (city). The nearest activity on record is next door in Wise County.

### Is Norton (city) adding jobs?

Employers counted 3,167 jobs in 2025 against 3,412 in 2019 (-7.2%, BLS QCEW).

### Does Norton (city) have a data center moratorium?

No county-level measure is on record for Norton (city). Virginia has 13 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.

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Canonical: https://savrn.com/power-supply-chain-map/virginia/norton-city
Updated: 2026-10-08. Refreshed weekly by SAVRN from EIA, BLS, BEA, Census and the SAVRN trackers. License: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).