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Compare towns

Phenix vs Nelsonia

181 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (7× in Nelsonia) and average commute (24 min in Nelsonia).

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Phenix, VAHomes around $202KVirginia · 418 people
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Nelsonia, VAA small town of 608Virginia · 608 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

PhenixHomes around $202K
Housing$202K typical home51% below the VA typical home All about Phenix →
NelsoniaA small town of 608
Quiet strengthsNelsonia doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Nelsonia →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails7×
Nelsonia has more miles of trail
Nelsonia 0.7 miPhenix 0.1 mi
Average commute24 min
Nelsonia has the shorter commute
Phenix 44 minNelsonia 20 min
Street grid2.2×
Phenix has the more walkable street grid
Phenix 21.8Nelsonia 9.8
Typical home built32 yrs
Phenix’s homes are older
Nelsonia 1994Phenix 1962
Homeowners+10.6 pts renters
Nelsonia has more renters
Phenix 83.5%Nelsonia 72.9%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $360 more a month in Phenix

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Phenix$1,130/mo
Typical home $202K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.43% · or rent about $758/mo · Housing →
Nelsonia$770/mo
Typical home $136K (Census) · tax rate 0.47% · or rent about $759/mo · Housing →

The difference: $360 a month, about $4,400 a year, between Phenix and Nelsonia.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Virginia ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
C+PhenixBetter than 41% of districts in the state –NelsoniaNot graded
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
PhenixNelsonia
Snow a year8″8″
January low27°F30°F
July high87°F86°F
Growing season (days)201d225d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)26th68th
Outdoors & history
PhenixNelsonia
Archive photos17
Famous people born here1—
Community
PhenixNelsonia
Library hours a week16 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

181 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

PhenixVANelsoniaVA
Phenix ↔ Nelsonia181 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

PhenixNelsonia
People
Population 418Lowest 608Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -13.8% VA: +7.9%
Median age 43.7±24.4Highest 12% above VA 41.9±16Lowest 7% above VA
Phenix and Nelsonia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.8%±7.9Lowest VA: 21.7% 31.3%±16.7Highest VA: 21.7%
Nelsonia and Phenix are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 35.2%±14Highest VA: 16.7% 19.6%±12.7Lowest VA: 16.7%
Phenix and Nelsonia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.6%Lowest VA: 42.2% 15.9%Highest VA: 42.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.7%±3.3Lowest VA: 6.9% 5.8%±7.8Highest VA: 6.9%
Nelsonia and Phenix are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $73,125±$36kLowest 22% below VA $88,685±$47kHighest 5% below VA
Nelsonia and Phenix are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $129,200±$48kLowest 66% below VA $136,200±$19kHighest 65% below VA
Nelsonia and Phenix are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $758±$82Lowest 52% below VA $759±$719Highest 52% below VA
Nelsonia and Phenix are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $559Lowest 80% below VA $639Highest 77% below VA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 26.3%±100Highest VA: 48.5% 18.4%±50.1Lowest VA: 48.5%
Phenix and Nelsonia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 25.4%Highest VA: 9.9% 12.7%Lowest VA: 9.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 83.5%Highest VA: 67.3% 72.9%Lowest VA: 67.3%
Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 22 yrs older than VA 1994Highest 10 yrs newer than VA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 44 minHighest 62% above VA 20 minLowest 26% below VA
Work from home 3.3%±2.9Lowest VA: 18.3% 3.7%±6Highest VA: 18.3%
Nelsonia and Phenix are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1%Highest 0.6%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 30.8 miLowest 41.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.45Highest 0.32Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Charlotte Court House (15%)Accomac (4%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in NelsoniaFew work in Phenix
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 1.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miLowest 0.7 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.4 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 21.8Highest 9.8Lowest
Schools
School district Charlotte County Public Schools—
High school in town None in town—
Virginia average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Phenix neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Phenix’s Town Square.

Nelsonia neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Nelsonia’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Phenix and Nelsonia

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Towns like Phenix

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McKenney518 people · $212K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Virginia towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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