2010 · Nelson, Nebraska downtown 1 · Wikimedia Commons
Nelson’s story
Nelson in pictures
6 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 2 places on the National Register.
NelsonNE
A town of 487. A typical home worth about $74K.
Photo: Ammodramus · Public domain
Population
487
residents
Typical home
$74K
−6.6% in a year
Household income
$50K
median
Median age
62.0
years
Jobs based here
155
Balanced
What makes Nelson stand out
The thing Nelson does most differently from other towns.
Small town
487 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Nelson’s report card
Now in Nelson
Be the first to start the conversation.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →48°
Clear
H 63° · L 45°
Local news
All →- Red Cloud Girls Varsity Volleyball @ Lawrence-Nelsonmaxpreps.com · Oct 1
- High Plains Girls Varsity Volleyball @ Lawrence-Nelsonmaxpreps.com · Sep 30
- Fullerton Varsity Football @ Lawrence-Nelsonmaxpreps.com · Sep 11
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Nelson. Another town gets a different order.
Housing
A typical Nelson home is worth about $74K
The typical Nelson home is worth about $74,000, down 6.6% in a year, 74% below the Nebraska typical home.
$74KZillow home value
Typical home value
Nelson$74K
Nebraska$281K
−6.6%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Natural hazards
Very high risk, with hail at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 81% of U.S. communities.
81risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HailDroughtInland flooding
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Four seasons, hot summers
Nelson has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 16°, and about 23 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
23″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–39°
Spring39–64°
Summer63–86°
Fall41–66°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Work & commute
About one in eight working residents works right in Nelson
Most working residents leave Nelson for work: only 12% work in town. The top destinations are Superior (10%), Clay Center (7%) and Hastings (6%). Half commute less than 28 miles.
12%work in town
Where working residents work
In Nelson12%
Superior10%
Clay Center7%
Hastings6%
Kearney5%
28 mi
median commute distance
155
jobs based in Nelson
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Health
How healthy Nelson is
Nelson beats the Nebraska average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8.
32 measures vs. Nebraska
10 better14 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Nelson | NE |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.2% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7% | 9.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12% | 8.3% |
Brodstone Healthcare
12.1 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Schools
The schools Nelson’s kids attend
LAWRENCE - NELSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS · 2 schools
| School | Grades | Students | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence - Nelson Middle School | 6–8 | 44 | |
| Lawrence - Nelson High School | 9–12 | 69 |
NCES · EDFactsAll 2 schools →
Landmarks
2 places in Nelson on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Nelson
City in Nebraska, United States
Nelson is a city in and the county seat of Nuckolls County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Nelson had a population of 456. The city was named from the middle name of one Horatio Nelson Wheeler, the original owner of the town site.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 456
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,699 ft
- ZIP code
- 68961
- Area code
- 402
More about Nelson
Still missing for Nelson:upcoming events