Norton is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 3,958, making it the least populous city in Virginia, along with the westernmost. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Norton with surrounding Wise County for statistical purposes.

The settlement was originally known as, "Prince's Flats", but in a bid to convince the Union Pacific Railroad to build a depot there, the town was renamed after the current head of the railroad, Mr. Eckstein Norton. Part of the Wilderness Trail blazed by Daniel Boone, and later extensively mapped and settled by Christopher Gest, Norton was a central hub for the timber trade until the coal boom of the 1930-40's.

The Hotel Norton is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Norton is located at 36°56′12″N 82°37′31″W / 36.936805°N 82.625146°W / 36.936805; -82.625146, along the Powell and Guest Rivers. The entire area of Norton lies within the confines of Wise County, but is not a part of the county.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.5 square miles (19 km²), virtually all of which is land.

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,904 people, 1,730 households, and 1,067 families residing in the city. The population density was 518.5 people per square mile (200.2/km²). There were 1,946 housing units at an average density of 258.4 per square mile (99.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.57% White, 6.15% Black, 0.08% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.87% of the population.

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