Nelson spent less per resident in 2022 than 90% of similar cities
Nelson’s city government spent $82,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $427 per resident.
What stands out about how Nelson is run
Read from the city’s budget and official records.
$427 per resident in 2022: less than 90% of them
Nelson’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($427 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 619 Minnesota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,112, and the middle half spent $743–$1,505. Nelson spent less than 90% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($22,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Minnesota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Nelson itself left out).
About $427 per resident a year, or $1.17 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 27%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Nelson reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,423 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.90% of the home’s value, vs 1.02% across Minnesota.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Nelson’s rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
Tax bills are one input to Nelson’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Nelson →
Who’s in charge in Nelson
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Alexandria Public School District
Nelson’s K–12 school district, shared with Alexandria, Alexandria Township, Carlos, Carlos Township, Forada and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $14,893 per pupil, $9,650 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
Minnesota districts overall: 30% local, 62% state, 8% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Nelson’s votes are counted by county
Minnesota reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Nelson alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Douglas County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican66.6%16,726 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat31.6%7,938 votesOthers: 1.8% (442 votes).
Most votes in Douglas County: Donald J Trump
Minnesota: Harris 50.9%, Trump 46.7%
100% of Nelson lies in Douglas County. Every 2024 race in Douglas County is on the county’s page.
Douglas County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Nelson.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Minnesota HouseState representatives
- 3Minnesota SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Minnesota
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Nelson compares with the towns next door
Nelson spent $427 per resident in 2022. Most of its neighbors are townships, a different kind of government, so the like-for-like comparison is with similar cities, above. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Alexandria Township | $232 | $3,153 |
| Osakis Township | $437 | $2,482 |
| Nelson | $427 | $1,423 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Nelson’s government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Nelson’s government
How much does Nelson spend per resident?
About $427 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $427 was less than 90% of 619 Minnesota cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Nelson?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,423 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.90% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.02% across Minnesota. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the city’s assessor.
Who runs Nelson’s government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Nelson yet.
How did Nelson vote in 2024?
Minnesota counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Nelson alone. Douglas County, where 100% of Nelson lies, voted Trump 66.6%, Harris 31.6% for president; its page has every race.
How many people work for Nelson?
0 full-time and 9 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $6,650 (about $79,800 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Nelson in the state legislature?
State Senate District 12 (Torrey Westrom) and State House District 12B (Mary Franson). The House district also covers 27 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Nelson’s government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →