Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 149, settled in 1887.
43% of residents live below the poverty line in Nelson, above both the Missouri town median (14%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 248 Missouri towns, just one has a higher median age than Nelson. Nelson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 383 in 1890, a peak of 639 in 1920, 152 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 4 maps from 1887 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Nelson, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Nelson.
Half of commuters travel less than 20 miles. Nelson had 16 jobs in 2023, down 26 from 2013. The top destinations are Marshall (28%), Slater (7%) and Sedalia (6%).
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
In July, afternoons reach 88°; in January, nights fall to 21°, and about 8 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Zillow values the typical Nelson home at about $306,000, up 9.1% in a year, 15% above the Missouri typical home.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
In Nelson, 29% of adults get no exercise outside work. Among adults locally, 11% worry about having enough food.
| Nelson | Missouri towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 25% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 19% | 17% |
| What stands out | Nelson | MO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.6% | 9% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 12.2% | 15.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
61% of Nelson’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by drought at 12%. On expected storm and flood damage, Nelson sits above 57% of U.S. communities. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Nelson once, in 2006.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
1 within 15 miles of the center of Nelson
About 0 of every 100 Nelson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Missouri.
Where Nelson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Missouri, United States
Nelson is a city in Saline County, Missouri, United States. The population was 152 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Nelson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.