Village · Wisconsin
Nelson, Wisconsin
Nelson, village, in Buffalo County, Wisconsin. Nelson had 314 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 322 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 381 (±71). GEOID 5555950.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
314
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 322 · ACS 2020-2024: 381 ±71
Median household income
$70,625
±$25,832 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$164,200
±$8,227 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$972
±$143 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Nelson and what county is it in?
Nelson is a village in Buffalo County, Wisconsin. It covers 1.4 square miles of land, 238 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 314 people lived in Nelson on July 1, 2025, down 1.9% since 2020, while Wisconsin grew 1.3%. The 2020 Census counted 322 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 381 (±71).
| Measure | Nelson | Buffalo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 381 ±71 | 13,393 | no clear change |
| Households | 151 ±30 | 5,720 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.52 ±0.33 | 2.32 | +0.54 |
| Housing units | 163 ±32 | 6,522 | no clear change |
Nelson's population since 2000
From 395 in 2000 to 314 in 2025: down 20.5%. 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 38.9 years old; 27.0% are under 18 and 24.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 2.6%.
| Measure | Nelson | Buffalo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.9 ±10.3 | 46.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 27.0% ±6.2 pts | 19.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.1% ±8.2 pts | 24.0% | – |
| Male | 45.1% ±5.2 pts | 50.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.6% ±2.9 pts | 2.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.2% ±2.8 pts | 93.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.7 pts | 0.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±2.0 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±0.9 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±5.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.8% ±0.8 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.9% ±1.0 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.9% ±3.6 pts | 7.7% | – |
| With a disability | 15.0% ±5.4 pts | 15.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.5% ±2.9 pts | 4.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.6% ±4.7 pts | 92.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 27.6% ±8.6 pts | 22.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.8% ±2.4 pts | 6.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.2% ±12.7 pts | 91.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 14.8% ±12.7 pts | 2.1% | – |
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 151 households earn less than $70,625 a year (±$25,832), against $70,479 in Buffalo County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $64,611 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 14.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Nelson | Buffalo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $70,625 ±$25,832 | $70,479 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $70,049 ±$11,018 | $85,332 | – |
| Per capita income | $30,244 ±$3,643 | $38,280 | −$11,074 |
| People below the poverty line | 14.4% ±6.6 pts | 8.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 17.5% ±15.4 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 14.6% ±6.8 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.4% ±6.7 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.7% ±6.7 pts | 87.8% | – |
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 69.5% of Nelson's occupied homes and renters 30.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $164,200 by its owner (±$8,227). The median renter pays $972 a month including utilities, and 35.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Nelson | Buffalo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $164,200 ±$8,227 | $213,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $972 ±$143 | $876 | +$257 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 35.0% ±23.0 pts | 31.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,195 ±$106 | $1,543 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 69.5% ±9.8 pts | 77.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 30.5% ±9.8 pts | 22.5% | – |
| Housing units | 163 ±32 | 6,522 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±19.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±36.2 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 77.9% ±9.5 pts | 80.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.6% ±1.4 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±12.9 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.3% ±3.9 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 27.6% ±7.1 pts | 26.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.6% ±7.0 pts | 3.3% | – |
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 4.3 across Wisconsin.
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?
79.7% of Nelson's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 22.9 minutes.
| Measure | Nelson | Buffalo County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 53.0% ±9.4 pts | 62.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±13.7 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 79.7% ±9.6 pts | 79.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.4% ±3.2 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±14.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 8.8% ±5.6 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.7% ±4.4 pts | 10.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.9 min ±3.5 | 26.5 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 9603Buffalo County | 2,181 | $70,500 |
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 Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Nelson is the 14,987th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 542nd-most populous of 608 in Wisconsin.
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 | 542nd | 608 |
Nelson's figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, 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?
21 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.