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Nelson Wisconsin Downtown WIS35

NelsonWI

A town of 381. Nearly 27.3% of it is conserved land.

Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
381
residents
Median home value
$164K
Census ACS
Household income
$71K
median
Median age
38.9
years
Jobs based here
52
A commuter town

What makes Nelson stand out

The thing Nelson does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data
Small town

381 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

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66°
Clear
H 0° · L 60°

Upcoming events

Nothing on the calendar.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Nelson. Another town gets a different order.

Outdoors

Nearly a quarter of Nelson is conserved land

1.1 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves.

27.3%conserved
Map of Nelson: conserved land, trails and the top places to walk
Green: conserved land · dashed: trails · numbers: the places below
27.3%
conserved · 253 of 926 acres
1.1 mi
of trails · 0.8 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Thrive! Park0.8 mi23
2. Lower Chippewa River SNA—TNC Addition—164
3. Tiffany Wildlife Area—68
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Work & commute

Most working residents commute out of Nelson

Most working residents leave Nelson for work: only 4% work in town. The top destinations are Wabasha (11%), Alma (11%) and Rochester (5%). Half commute less than 17 miles.

4%work in town

Where working residents work

In Nelson4%
Wabasha11%
Alma11%
Rochester5%
Lake City4%
17 mi
median commute distance
52
jobs based in Nelson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Climate

Four seasons, pleasant summers

Nelson has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 7°, and about 40 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

40″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter11–27°
Spring34–56°
Summer59–80°
Fall38–57°
Oct 14
typical first frost
Apr 28
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Health

How healthy Nelson is

Nelson beats the Wisconsin average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6.

32 measures vs. Wisconsin
1 better25 too close to call6 worse
What stands outNelsonWI
More adults treating high blood pressure81.1%77.8%
More older adults who have lost all their teeth14.2%9.9%
St. Elizabeth Medical Center
3.4 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards

Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top

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

49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
49Moderate riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
A commuter town

96% of working residents leave Nelson for work

Where Nelson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

11% → Wabasha Wabasha 11% 11% → Alma Alma 11% 5% → Rochester Rochester 5% 4% → Lake City Lake City 4% 4% → La Crosse La Crosse 4% 4% → Durand Durand 4% Nelson · 4% stay
52jobs based in Nelson
4%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Nelson

Village in Wisconsin, United States

Nelson is a village in Buffalo County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 322 at the 2020 census. The village is surrounded by the Town of Nelson. Nelson is located at the junction of the Mississippi River and Chippewa River valleys. The river bottoms surrounding the confluence are home to a large amount of wildlife. A causeway and bridge across the Mississippi River link Nelson with the city of Wabasha, Minnesota at the junction of Wisconsin Highway 25 and Wisconsin Highway 35. Southbound Highway 25 becomes Minnesota Highway 60 upon crossing the Mississippi River to Wabasha. Nelson lies on Wisconsin Highway 35, the "Great River Road," a popular tourist route that runs along …

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

Population
574
Area
1.4 sq mi
Elevation
827 ft
ZIP code
54756

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Photo of Nelson

Nelson, WI · Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗