19950813 08 UP Nelson, IL, 1995
Nelson Township’s story
168 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 1995.
- 1858Nelson Township is settled
Nelson TownshipIL
A town of 748, settled in 1858.
Population
748
2025 Census estimate · −2.2% since 2020
Median home value
$148K
Census ACS
Household income
$78K
median
Median age
56.8
years
Jobs based here
68
A commuter town
Is Nelson Township a good place to live?
Nelson Township’s median age is 56.8 years, above both Illinois’ towns (40.7 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). Nelson Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
748 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Palmyra TownshipSouth Dixon TownshipColoma TownshipHarmon TownshipNelson Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Nelson Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Nelson Township, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Nelson Township’s trash rules yet
SchoolsRock Falls Township High School District 301Dixon Unit School District 170East Coloma-Nelson Consolidated Elementary School District 203 districts serve Nelson Township; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLee County ClerkLee County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes61021, 61071, 6104261021 89% · 61071 7% · 61042 4%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Nelson Township.
Work & commute
Nelson Township has 0.2 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Nelson Township for work: only 1% work in town. Since 2013, Nelson Township has added 51 jobs, to 68 in 2023. At 22 minutes, Nelson Township’s average trip to work is where Illinois’ towns sit at 26 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes.
1%work in town
| Nelson Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.2% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Nelson Township1%
Dixon17%
Sterling13%
Amboy4%
Rockford4%
18 mi
median commute distance
68
jobs based in Nelson Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Nelson Township, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Nelson Township has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 14° and about 29 inches of snow falls in a winter.
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–33°
Spring39–60°
Summer61–83°
Fall41–63°
Oct 19
typical first frost
Apr 21
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Nelson Township is
Nelson Township beats the Illinois average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 38% of adults have high blood pressure in Nelson Township.
| Nelson Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 37% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
0 better23 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Nelson Township | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 8.7% | 6.3% |
| More smokers | 15.8% | 12.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.7% | 5.9% |
OSF Saint Katharine Medical Center
6.2 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Nelson Township
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 51% of U.S. communities.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtTornadoes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Nelson Township
16pages on Nelson Township
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Nelson Township
About 5 of every 100 Nelson Township residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Nelson Township for work
Where Nelson Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
68jobs based in Nelson Township
1%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Nelson Township
Village in Illinois, United States
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)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
Questions about Nelson Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Nelson Township, IL a good place to live?
Nelson Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.