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Nelson

A city of 456 people in Nebraska
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About Nelson

City in Nebraska, United States
456Population
0.8 sq miArea
1,699 ftElevation

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.

Official town website ↗

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

Town numbers

ZIP code68961
Area code402
Living in Nelson

Housing in Nelson

$74K▼ 6.6% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Nelson home is worth about $74,000, down 6.6% in a year, 74% below the Nebraska typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Work & commute in Nelson

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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.

Superior
10%
Clay Center
7%
Hastings
6%
Kearney
5%
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Nelson →

Health in Nelson

Compared with Nebraska

10better than NE·8worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 14 are too close to call.

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

Care nearby

Brodstone HealthcareSuperior · 12.1 mi · ER · rural critical access
Heartland Health Center - HastingsHastings · 32.1 mi · sliding-scale fees
Primary careShortage · county-wide
DentalNo shortage
Mental healthShortage · county-wide
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Nelson · CMS · HRSAHealth in Nelson →

Natural hazards in Nelson

81
Very high

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 81% of U.S. communities.

🧊 Hail🌵 Drought🌊 Inland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Nelson →

Climate in Nelson

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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.

39° / 18°Winter
64° / 39°Spring
86° / 63°Summer
66° / 41°Fall
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Nelson →

Schools in Nelson

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DistrictLAWRENCE - NELSON PUBLIC SCHOOLSSchools2

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES). Ratings are from neighbors.

Famous people from Nelson

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Where Nelson is

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Locator map of Nelson
Wikimedia Commons · Map: The original uploader was Bumm13 at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01