Hammond's Studio 629A - Camp Nelson Hotel, 1904–1918
Camp Nelson’s story
91 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 1818 and 2 maps from 1956 on.
- 1935Camp Nelson is settled
Camp NelsonCA
This town of 150 people was settled in 1935.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Hammond's Studio · Public domain
Population
150
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$249K
Census ACS
Median age
65.1
years
Land area
1 sq mi
Is Camp Nelson a good place to live?
Camp Nelson’s median age is 65.1 years, above both the California town median (39 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). Of the 848 California towns we compare, none has a higher share of homes lived in by their owners than Camp Nelson. 60% of the land in Camp Nelson is conserved, above both the California town median (4.3%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest place to walk is Giant Sequoia National Monument, 475 acres with 2.2 miles of trail. Camp Nelson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
150 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
PierpointCamp Nelson
Getting set up
Moving to Camp Nelson: who provides what
Camp Nelson is unincorporated, so Tulare County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerSouthern California Edison31.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCamp Nelson Water CompanyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesTulare CountyTulare County provides services here
SchoolsPorterville Unified School District (9-12)Springville Union Elementary School District2 districts serve Camp Nelson; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTulare County Registrar of VotersTulare County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2025
ZIP codes93208, 9326593208 92% · 93265 8%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Camp Nelson.
Outdoors
Nearly a third of Camp Nelson is conserved land
In Camp Nelson, the trail density is 2.1 miles per square mile. 2.5 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
60.2%conserved
60.2%
conserved · 475 of 788 acres
2.5 mi
of trails · 2.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Giant Sequoia National Monument | 2.2 mi | 475 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Camp Nelson is wildfire, at a very high overall level
36% of Camp Nelson’s expected losses from natural hazards come from wildfires, followed by inland flooding at 30%. FEMA expects more storm and flood damage here than in 99% of U.S. communities. Federal aid has come to Camp Nelson households in 2 declared disasters; the latest was in 2023.
99risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland floodingAvalanches
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Camp Nelson, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
July afternoons reach 87° and January nights drop to 30°.
87°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter29–52°
Spring37–61°
Summer54–84°
Fall42–69°
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
87°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
A larger share of adults in Camp Nelson have high blood pressure than in the typical California or U.S. town
On the CDC’s 32 measures, Camp Nelson is ahead of California on 10 and behind on 13. Camp Nelson: 19% of adults have diabetes. Also worth knowing: among 848 California towns, just 6 have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Camp Nelson.
| Camp Nelson | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 12% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 9.9% | 16% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 51% | 31% | 35% |
32 measures vs. California
10 better9 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Camp Nelson | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.1% | 10.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.5% | 14.9% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 28.2% | 10.6% |
Sierra View Medical Center
23.8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
$233Kmedian sale price
2
homes sold in September
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 18 attractions →Mount Whitney and 8 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Camp Nelson. Close and well known come first.
Big draw35 mi MountainMount Whitney
Big draw11 mi National ParkSequoia National Park1.4M visitors a year
31 mi National ParkKings Canyon National Park780K visitors a year
9 mi National forestSequoia National Forest
29 mi MountainMoro Rock
9 mi Park & preserveGiant Sequoia National MonumentSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Mount Whitney: Geographer (talk · contribs), CC BY 1.0 · Sequoia National Park: Alberto Carrasco Casado, CC BY 2.0 · Kings Canyon National Park: NileGuide.com (Josh Steinitz), CC BY 2.0 · Sequoia National Forest: US Forest Service, Public domain · Moro Rock: DiverDave, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Giant Sequoia National Monument: Jason Hickey, CC BY 2.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Camp Nelson
15pages on Camp Nelson
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Camp Nelson; the nearest are
Porterville CollegeCommunity college · Public · Porterville23.4 mi$1,438 in-state tuitionCalifornia State University-BakersfieldUniversity or college · Public · Bakersfield61.3 mi$8,090 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Camp Nelson residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About Camp Nelson
Census-designated place in California
Camp Nelson is a census-designated place in Tulare County, California. Camp Nelson is 12 miles (19 km) east of Springville. Camp Nelson has a post office with ZIP code 93208. The population was 109 at the 2020 census, up from 97 at the 2010 census. Camp Nelson can be reached from Porterville by 33 curvy miles on California State Route 190 with an elevation gain of 4,439 feet.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 4,898 ft
- ZIP code
- 93208
- Area code
- 559
Questions about Camp Nelson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Camp Nelson, CA a good place to live?
Camp Nelson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.