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Nelson

A township of 775 people in Lee County, Illinois

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⚠️ Flood Watch 🕊️ 15 obituaries

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Around town

The places and views that make it Nelson

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The Nelson album

0 of 12 shotsNeighbors document Nelson together

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About Nelson

Village in Illinois, United States

127Population

0.3 sq miArea

Nelson is a village in Lee County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, Nelson had a population of 127.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

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Living in Nelson

Work & commute in Nelson

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Most working residents leave Nelson for work: only 1% work in town. The top destinations are Dixon (17%), Sterling (13%) and Amboy (4%). Half commute less than 18 miles.

Dixon

17%

Sterling

13%

Amboy

4%

Rockford

4%

1%Work in townlive and work in Nelson 18 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 68Jobs based herea commuter town

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Nelson →

Health in Nelson

Compared with Illinois

9worse than IL

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 23 are too close to call.

Conditions 7▼ 5 close Habits 1▼ 3 close Care all close Mind 1▼ 4 close Everyday needs all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

8.7%More adults with COPDIL 6.3% · worse 15.8%More smokersIL 12.1% · worse 7.7%More adults with heart diseaseIL 5.9% · worse

Care nearby

Osf Saint Katharine Medical CenterDixon · 6.2 mi · ER

Whiteside Chd - Rock FallsRock Falls · 6.9 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · ZIP codes 61021, 61042, 61071 · CMS · HRSAHealth in Nelson →

Natural hazards in Nelson

Moderate

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 49% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌵 Drought🌪️ Tornadoes

0Does Nelson flood?no paid flood claims on record 1Disasters that paid out herefederal disaster sent FEMA money to Nelson MapNelson vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Nelson →

Climate in Nelson

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Nelson has cold winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 14°, and about 29 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

33° / 17°Winter

60° / 39°Spring

83° / 61°Summer

63° / 41°Fall

How much snow does Nelson get?About 29 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 19, with the last in spring around Apr 21.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.3° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Nelson →

Libraries near Nelson

Nearest: Dixon Public LibraryDixon · 5.9 miles · 53 hrs a week

Famous people from NelsonWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Nelson.Meet them →

Where Nelson is

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Locator map of Nelson — Wikimedia Commons · Map: DemocraticLuntz · DemocraticLuntz at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Location map

Illinois · IL · Lee CountyTown boundary on OpenStreetMap →

Around town

Bordering towns

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Nelson Palmyra South Dixon Coloma Harmon

NPalmyra ESouth Dixon WColoma SHarmon

Compare side by side:Nelson vs Palmyra Nelson vs South Dixon Nelson vs Coloma Nelson vs Harmon

How things work in Nelson

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Town hall & decisionsTrash, recycling & yard wasteUtilities & servicesStreets, parking & getting aroundSafety & preparednessSchools & learningParks, sports & recreationHealth & emergency care