United States › Illinois › Nelson CITY
Nelson Illinois · 127 residents (2025 est.) · 0.36 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Nelson is a city of 125 people in Illinois. The median age is 56.9, about 18 years above the US median. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 12% of adults. Owners hold 89% of the housing stock. That trails the Illinois median by roughly 53%. The typical home is worth $86,300, having risen by half since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 56.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 10%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 163 in 2000
127 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
350 / sq mi
−16%since 2009
from 417 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
90 142 195 247 300 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Nelson Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $39,250
−40%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,833 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,043 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 30.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.322 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 8.1%
Public administration 8.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
Education & health services 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$86,300
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $52,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
from 84.4% in 2000
10.5% rent
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.29 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.0 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 93.3%(152)
Hispanic / Latino 6.1%(10)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 95.2%(119)
from 28 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 4 more ancestry groups with data from 0.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 60.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 0.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 89.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 12.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 72.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 56.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 8.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 52.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 80.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
100.0%
Unchangedsince 2016
from 100.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 8.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 40.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 8.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 37.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 49.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 56.1% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 22.2%(2)
Share of the 9 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Nelson, Illinois? Nelson, Illinois has about 125 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Nelson, Illinois? The typical household in Nelson, Illinois earns about $39,250 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Nelson, Illinois expensive? In Nelson, Illinois, the median home is worth about $86,300.
How educated are people in Nelson, Illinois? About 11.6% of adults age 25 and over in Nelson, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Nelson, Illinois? About 21.6% of people in Nelson, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Nelson, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Nelson, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 57 residents, a change of about -31 percent over that period.
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