A township that became a city in 1969
Norton kept its township shape when it became a city, which is why it’s large and spread out. Norton Township was organized in 1818 and named for Birdseye Norton, one of the original landowners. James Robinson and John Cahow were the first settlers, in 1810.
The township formed a development committee in 1958, incorporated as a village in 1961, and voted for city status in November 1968. That took effect on January 11, 1969.
Today Norton covers about 20.5 square miles with about 11,700 people. Compare that with Barberton next door, which fits about 25,000 people into about 9 square miles. The difference shows in the lots.
Single-family homes from the 1950s and 1960s
Norton is a city of detached houses. About 93% of its housing is single-family detached, 87% is owner-occupied, and the median house was built in 1962.
The population has barely moved since then: 12,308 in 1970 and 11,673 in 2020. A population that steady usually means long-time owners, and some of those houses now come up for sale through an estate. Common issues in houses that age include:
- Original or once-updated electrical panels.
- Older wells, septic systems and sewer connections.
- Basements and foundations that have settled over 60 years.
If you’ve inherited a Norton house, selling an inherited house explains the steps.
Septic systems, wells and the county inspection
Norton has no city point-of-sale inspection, but the Summit County rule for septic systems and private wells applies to any Norton home that has one.
The basics, from Summit County Public Health:
- Hire a contractor from the county’s list of registered inspectors.
- Uncover the tank lids, and don’t pump the tank first.
- Give the inspector access to the house. Vacant homes still need the inspection.
- The county reviews the report within about 3 business days and issues a certificate. A failed result does not stop the transfer.
You may be exempt if the system had a point-of-sale inspection or was replaced in the past two years. The septic and well inspection guide has the details, and selling a house with septic problems covers failed systems.
The Wayne County parcels
A small part of Norton, several parcels, lies in Wayne County. If your house is one of them, the Wayne County auditor handles the transfer. Wayne’s conveyance fee is also $4 per $1,000, the same as Summit’s, so the cost doesn’t change.
Norton and Barberton grew up side by side
Norton’s history is tied to its eastern neighbor. In 1890, O.C. Barber and his partners bought farms near New Portage to found Barberton, and by 1905 an electric trolley line ran from Barberton to Wadsworth across Norton’s farmland. Norton stayed rural much longer than Barberton, which helps explain its bigger lots and newer houses: a 1962 median build year, compared with Barberton’s 1955.
Norton schools, parks and canal history
Norton City Schools run one elementary school, one middle school and Norton High School, and the city has a branch of the Akron-Summit County Public Library. Parts of neighboring New Franklin are also in the Norton district.
The Ohio and Erie Canal ran through the southeast part of the township from 1827 to 1913. Silver Creek Metro Park is in Norton, along with Columbia Woods Park, which has hosted the Lions Club’s Apple Cider Festival since 2008.
If your Norton house is updated, listing it is likely the better route. If it needs work, request an as-is offer to compare.