Photo: Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 4.0Nelson spent more per resident in 2022 than 81% of similar towns
Nelson’s town government spent $467,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $834 per resident.
What stands out about how Nelson is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$834 per resident in 2022: more than 81% of them
Nelson’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($834 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 1113 Wisconsin towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $509, and the middle half spent $371–$727. Nelson spent more than 81% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($2,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Wisconsin towns and townships 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 $834 per resident a year, or $2.28 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 82%.
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 $4,171 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.38% of the home’s value, vs 1.42% across Wisconsin.
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.
Alma School District
Nelson’s K–12 school district, shared with Alma, Alma, Lincoln, Nelson, Belvidere. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $18,812 per pupil, $9,151 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.
Wisconsin districts overall: 39% local, 50% state, 11% federal.
Durand School District · $14,742 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Nelson voted in 2024
Official results for Nelson’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican69.5%244 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat28.8%101 votesOthers: 1.7% (6 votes).
Most votes in Nelson: Donald J Trump
Buffalo County: Trump 64.4%, Harris 34.1% · Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%
of Nelson’s 397 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Wisconsin: 76%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Most votes in Nelson: Eric Hovde
Buffalo County: Hovde 61.1%, Baldwin 36.3% · Wisconsin: Baldwin 49.3%, Hovde 48.5%
Most votes in the district: Derrick Van Orden
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Nelson, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson | 69.5% | 28.8% | 1.7% | 351 |
| Buffalo County | 64.4% | 34.1% | 1.5% | 8,100 |
| Wisconsin | 49.6% | 48.7% | 1.7% | 3,422,918 |
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 townTown governmentLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2Wisconsin AssemblyState representatives
- 3Wisconsin SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Wisconsin
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Nelson compares with the towns next door
Nelson spent $834 per resident in 2022; the 5 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $412 to $1,968. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
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 $834 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 $834 was more than 81% of 1113 Wisconsin towns and townships 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 $4,171 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.38% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.42% across Wisconsin. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’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?
For president, Donald J Trump 69.5%, Kamala D Harris 28.8% (351 votes, official results). Buffalo County: Trump 64.4%, Harris 34.1%. Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%.
How many people work for Nelson?
0 full-time and 10 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $5,537 (about $66,444 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Nelson in the state legislature?
State Senate District 10 (Rob Stafsholt) and Assembly District 29 (Treig Pronschinske). The Assembly district also covers 65 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 →