Church in, 2009
Nelson Township’s story
197 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2009.
- 1829Nelson Township is settled
Nelson TownshipPA
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Dincher · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
546
2025 Census estimate · −0.7% since 2020
Median home value
$180K
Census ACS
Household income
$83K
median
Median age
45.9
years
Jobs based here
21
A commuter town
Is Nelson Township a good place to live?
Nelson Township’s average trip to work is 35 minutes, against 26 minutes in Pennsylvania’s towns and 25 minutes across U.S. towns. Only 1 of the 1,036 Pennsylvania towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Nelson Township. Nelson Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Nelson Township stand out
Where Nelson Township beats most towns.
Small town
546 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
ElklandOsceola 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.
PowerTri-County Rural Elec Coop Inc (PA)22.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterNelson Township Authority4 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers96% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Nelson Township’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Pennsylvania you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person until 15 days before Election Day, or by mail (received 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTioga County Board of ElectionsTioga County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2026
ZIP codes16929, 16920, 1694016929 62% · 16920 27% · 16940 11%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 Nelson Township.
Work & commute
With 0.1 jobs for every working resident, most of Nelson Township’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Nelson Township for work: only 0% work in town. The top destinations are Elkland (12%), Erwin (6%) and Corning (4%). Half commute less than 19 miles.
0%work in town
| Nelson Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 9.8% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $83,000 | $81,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Nelson Township0%
Elkland12%
Erwin6%
Corning4%
Wellsboro3%
19 mi
median commute distance
21
jobs based in Nelson Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Nelson Township
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 70% of U.S. communities.
70risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Nelson Township
Nelson Township has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers. Nelson Township’s July high is 82°F, where Pennsylvania’s towns sit at 85°F and U.S. towns at 85°F.
38″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–35°
Spring33–57°
Summer55–80°
Fall39–60°
Oct 12
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Nelson Township is
Nelson Township beats the Pennsylvania average on 0 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 20% of adults smoke cigarettes in Nelson Township.
| Nelson Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 14% | 14% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
26 measures vs. Pennsylvania
0 better18 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Nelson Township | PA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 10.1% | 7.7% |
| More smokers | 20.2% | 15.8% |
| More adults who get no exercise | 28.9% | 23.8% |
UPMC Wellsboro
15.7 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: dental
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Compared with most of Pennsylvania and the rest of the country, less of Nelson Township is conserved land
0.2% of the land in Nelson Township is conserved. 3.5 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves.
0.2%conserved
| Nelson Township | Pennsylvania towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.2% | 8.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
0.2%
conserved · 12 of 7,136 acres
3.5 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Nelson Township
18pages on Nelson Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Nelson Township
SUNY Corning Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Corning, NY14.7 mi$6,534 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Nelson Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Pennsylvania.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Nelson Township for work
Where Nelson Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
21jobs based in Nelson Township
0%of working residents work in town
19 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Nelson Township
Township in Pennsylvania, US
Nelson Township is a township in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 546 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 11 sq mi
Questions about Nelson Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Nelson Township, PA a good place to live?
Nelson Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.