City · Nebraska
Nelson, Nebraska
Nelson, city, in Nuckolls County, Nebraska. Nelson had 462 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 456 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 487 (±84). GEOID 3133880.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
462
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 456 · ACS 2020-2024: 487 ±84
Median household income
$50,000
±$15,871 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $76,475
Median home value
$71,700
±$14,512 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $238,600
Median gross rent
$666
±$40 (90% margin)
Nebraska: $1,072
Where is Nelson and what county is it in?
Nelson is a city in Nuckolls County, Nebraska. It covers 0.8 square miles of land, 559 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Nelson, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 462 people lived in Nelson on July 1, 2025, up 0.2% since 2020, slower than Nebraska (+2.9%). The 2020 Census counted 456 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 487 (±84).
| Measure | Nelson | Nuckolls County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 487 ±84 | 4,087 | no clear change |
| Households | 304 ±57 | 1,919 | +97 |
| Average household size | 1.60 ±0.14 | 2.08 | −0.63 |
| Housing units | 337 ±56 | 2,220 | no clear change |
Nelson's population since 2000
From 587 in 2000 to 462 in 2025: down 21.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Nelson as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Nelson?
The median resident of Nelson is 62.0 years old; 7.8% are under 18 and 34.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 79.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 14.8%.
| Measure | Nelson | Nuckolls County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 62.0 ±2.0 | 50.6 | +17.7 |
| Under 18 years | 7.8% ±3.9 pts | 18.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 34.9% ±7.9 pts | 29.3% | – |
| Male | 46.2% ±6.2 pts | 49.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 14.8% ±7.1 pts | 3.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 79.5% ±8.0 pts | 92.6% | −11.7 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.5% ±4.7 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.1% ±2.8 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.1% ±5.0 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.8% ±5.1 pts | 9.4% | – |
| With a disability | 20.4% ±5.9 pts | 13.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.2% ±5.5 pts | 9.3% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.3% ±5.5 pts | 92.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 23.2% ±8.0 pts | 23.1% | +11.2 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.9% ±4.0 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 95.3% ±4.0 pts | 93.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.2% ±0.5 pts | 1.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Nelson earn?
Half of Nelson's 304 households earn less than $50,000 a year (±$15,871), against $73,976 in Nuckolls County and $76,475 in Nebraska. In 2015-2019 it was $58,560 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Nelson | Nuckolls County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,000 ±$15,871 | $73,976 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $71,325 ±$12,825 | $87,420 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,193 ±$6,955 | $40,896 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 8.5% ±4.2 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 7.9% ±14.6 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 5.6% ±3.0 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 85.9% ±9.2 pts | 91.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.2% ±9.4 pts | 84.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Nelson?
Owners occupy 85.2% of Nelson's occupied homes and renters 14.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $71,700 by its owner (±$14,512). The median renter pays $666 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Nelson | Nuckolls County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $71,700 ±$14,512 | $96,500 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $666 ±$40 | $585 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 17.8% ±15.3 pts | 18.3% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $949 ±$32 | $1,222 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 85.2% ±7.2 pts | 83.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 14.8% ±7.2 pts | 16.5% | – |
| Housing units | 337 ±56 | 2,220 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.0% ±4.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±38.8 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 95.8% ±2.7 pts | 92.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±7.1 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±7.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±7.1 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 49.6% ±10.7 pts | 40.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.3% ±0.8 pts | 2.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Nelson building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Nelson in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 5.3 across Nebraska.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Nelson work and get to work?
74.8% of Nelson's workers drive alone and 18.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 21.4 minutes.
| Measure | Nelson | Nuckolls County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.6% ±8.6 pts | 63.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±9.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 74.8% ±12.2 pts | 69.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 0.0% ±9.4 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±9.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 6.7% ±5.7 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 18.5% ±12.1 pts | 10.9% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.4 min ±5.7 | 20.3 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Nelson?
No census tract lies mostly in Nelson; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9600Nuckolls County | 2,036 | $85,682 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Nelson) · Census block assignment files
How does Nelson compare with other places in Nebraska?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Nelson is the 13,530th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 205th-most populous of 528 in Nebraska.
Nelson is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 205th | 528 |
Nelson's figures with every place in Nebraska (CSV)
Every place in Nebraska, sortable · Compare Nelson with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Nelson?
23 of the 57 figures for Nelson on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Nelson are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Nelson.