Nielsville, Minnesota highway 75 view, 2021
Nielsville’s story
143 years in pictures
Census counts: 186 in 1930, 78 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2021 and 2 maps from 1964 on.
- 1883Nielsville is settled
NielsvilleMN
A town of 76, settled in 1883.
Population
76
2025 Census estimate · −1.3% since 2020
Median home value
$37K
Census ACS
Household income
$33K
median
Median age
27.5
years
Land area
0 sq mi
Is Nielsville a good place to live?
54% of residents live below the poverty line in Nielsville, above both Minnesota’s towns (7%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 274 Minnesota towns, just one has a higher owner-occupancy rate than Nielsville. Nielsville has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
76 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Nielsville: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Nielsville, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of NielsvilleEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterNielsville water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet1 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Nielsville’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections herePolk County Taxpayer Service CenterPolk County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5656856568 100%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 Nielsville.
Natural hazards
In Nielsville, the FEMA risk score runs higher than in the typical Minnesota or U.S. town
54% of Nielsville’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 25%. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Nielsville once, in 2009. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 84% of U.S. communities.
84risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesDrought
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Nielsville
In Nielsville, the typical July afternoon high is 81°F, against 82°F in Minnesota’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
81°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter3–20°
Spring31–52°
Summer56–79°
Fall34–54°
Oct 9
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
81°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Nielsville is
The share of adults in Nielsville who have high blood pressure: 31%. This Minnesota town does better than the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 1. Only 9 of the 272 Minnesota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have obesity than Nielsville. In Nielsville, 29% of adults feel lonely, and 14% report frequent mental distress.
| Nielsville | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 35% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 30% | 36% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better30 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Nielsville | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults getting cholesterol checked | 88.4% | 85.3% |
| More adults with obesity | 40.5% | 33.5% |
Sanford Hillsboro
14.2 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Nielsville
15pages on Nielsville
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Nielsville; the nearest are
University of Minnesota-CrookstonUniversity or college · Public · Crookston21.3 mi$13,288 in-state tuitionNorthland Community and Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Thief River Falls51.1 mi$6,289 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Nielsville residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
About Nielsville
City in Minnesota, United States
Nielsville ( NEELZ-vil) is a city in Polk County, Minnesota, United States. It is part of the Grand Forks, ND-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 78 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 866 ft
- ZIP code
- 56568
- Area code
- 218
Questions about Nielsville
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Nielsville, MN a good place to live?
Nielsville has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.