NelsonWI
A town of 314, settled in 1860.
Is Nelson a good place to live?
14% of residents live below the poverty line in Nelson, against 6.4% in Wisconsin’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. 27% of the land in Nelson is conserved, above both Wisconsin’s towns (3.8%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest park or preserve is Lower Chippewa River SNA—TNC Addition, at 164 acres. Nelson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
314 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Nelson: who provides what
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.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Nelson.
Nelson has set aside nearly a quarter of its land for conservation
1.1 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves. Nelson’s trail density is 0.8 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Thrive! Park | 0.8 mi | 23 |
| 2. Lower Chippewa River SNA—TNC Addition | — | 164 |
| 3. Tiffany Wildlife Area | — | 68 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Most of Nelson’s workers commute out: the town has 0.3 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Nelson for work: only 4% work in town. The median household income in Nelson is $71,000. The top destinations are Wabasha (11%), Alma (11%) and Rochester (5%).
| Nelson | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.4% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Nelson has four seasons and pleasant summers
Nelson has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 7° and about 40 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The typical home in Nelson is valued at about $267K
The typical Nelson home is worth about $267,000, up 14.4% in a year, 21% below the Wisconsin typical home.
| Nelson | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $972 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 74% | 73% |
Typical home value
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Fewer middle-aged adults than Wisconsin overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 31% of residents (38% statewide); people 65 and older are 24% of residents (19% statewide). 28% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across Wisconsin.
| Nelson | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 24% | 20% | 18% |
| Median age | 38.9 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 28% | 32% | 29% |
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
55% women, 45% men
About 82 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.4 points). Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Nelson | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 16% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.3% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.8% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.2% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.5% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.5% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.7% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.4% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.8% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.8% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.4% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.8% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 4.8% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 300, single groups can be off by several points
How healthy Nelson is
Nelson beats the Wisconsin average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 30% of Nelson adults get no exercise outside work.
| Nelson | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| What stands out | Nelson | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.1% | 77.8% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 14.2% | 9.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nelson faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 51% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Everything we know about Nelson
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Nelson; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Nelson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
96% of working residents leave Nelson for work
Where Nelson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Nelson
Village in Wisconsin, United States
Nelson is a village in Buffalo County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 322 at the 2020 census. The village is surrounded by the Town of Nelson. Nelson is located at the junction of the Mississippi River and Chippewa River valleys. The river bottoms surrounding the confluence are home to a large amount of wildlife. A causeway and bridge across the Mississippi River link Nelson with the city of Wabasha, Minnesota at the junction of Wisconsin Highway 25 and Wisconsin Highway 35. Southbound Highway 25 becomes Minnesota Highway 60 upon crossing the Mississippi River to Wabasha. Nelson lies on Wisconsin Highway 35, the "Great River Road," a popular tourist route that runs along …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 827 ft
- ZIP code
- 54756
Questions about Nelson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Nelson, WI a good place to live?
Nelson has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.