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COUNTY

Nelson County

Virginia · 14,920 residents (2025 est.) · 470.745 sq mi
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The short version

Nelson County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $72,589. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $321,700. With a median age of 51.3, the population is older than the US median of 38.9. It sits in the top 10% of US counties for household income.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 51.3
US median: 38.9
Average education
36% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 88%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
14,732
+2%since 2000
from 14,445 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
31 / sq mi
−3%since 2009
from 32 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
51.3
+20%since 2000
from 42.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:14,920 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
13K13K14K15K15K1990201020202024Nelson County
202415K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.5%(809)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95%(741)
US avg: 6%
10 to 144.3%(629)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.1%(605)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.9%(724)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 349.9%(1,465)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 449.6%(1,421)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.8%(1,585)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6416.3%(2,394)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7418.2%(2,688)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 849.1%(1,341)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.2%(330)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$72,589
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,769 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$45,844
+106%since 2000
from $22,230 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
49.6%
+25.5 ptssince 2009
from 24.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
12.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2000
from 12.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.479
+9%since 2010
from 0.440 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information9.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade7.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services5.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction4%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration2.3%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.5%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services0.1%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$321,700
+88%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $94,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$946
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $440 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
79.7%
−1.2 ptssince 2000
from 80.8% in 2000
20.3% rent
Vacancy rate
36.3%
+4.5 ptssince 2009
from 31.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
22.0%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 23.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
35.2%
+4.1 ptssince 2009
from 31.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.4
+22%since 2009
from 3.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
70
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Nelson County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic81.4%(11,765)
Black14.8%(2,136)
Hispanic / Latino2.1%(305)
Asian0.2%(32)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic79.8%(11,752)
Black11%(1,623)
Hispanic / Latino4.8%(705)
Asian0.9%(132)
Other3.5%(520)
Diversity Score
43
+13%since 2009
from 39 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
30
+40%since 2020
from 21 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.4%(356)
Cuban1.4%(210)
Venezuelan0.2%(34)
Colombian0.1%(17)
Puerto Rican0.1%(15)
Spaniard0.1%(9)
Asian origin
Chinese0.7%(100)
Filipino0.1%(15)
Asian Indian0.1%(13)
Ancestry
English14.9%(2,197)
Irish13.9%(2,052)
German11.4%(1,683)
American7.5%(1,108)
Scottish4%(592)
Scotch-Irish3.6%(534)
Italian2.3%(335)
French1.8%(269)
Welsh1.5%(219)
Polish1.4%(203)
Kenyan1%(145)
+ 26 more ancestry groups with data
Ukrainian0.8%(118)
Dutch0.7%(107)
Norwegian0.6%(93)
Armenian0.5%(80)
Canadian0.5%(73)
Russian0.5%(70)
Greek0.4%(65)
Czech0.4%(56)
West Indian0.3%(45)
Jamaican0.2%(34)
Slovene0.2%(33)
Swedish0.2%(31)
Swiss0.2%(31)
Hungarian0.2%(27)
Croatian0.2%(26)
British0.1%(20)
Serbian0.1%(20)
Cape Verdean0.1%(17)
Austrian0.1%(16)
Slovak0.1%(15)
Finnish0.1%(11)
Lithuanian0.1%(9)
Portuguese0.1%(8)
Haitian0%(7)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest American population · Largest Scottish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
36.3%
+15.5 ptssince 2000
from 20.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
89.7%
+20.7 ptssince 2000
from 69.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
13.5%
+4.3 ptssince 2000
from 9.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
30.3 min
+24%since 2000
from 24.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
67.4%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 70.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.2%
−7.8 ptssince 2009
from 16.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
19.1%
+11.5 ptssince 2009
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.6%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.2%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.3%
−2.4 ptssince 2011
from 5.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
54.3%
−6.3 ptssince 2011
from 60.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
15.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 15.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
41.7%
−19.6 ptssince 2009
from 61.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.6%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 48.2% in 2009
Female
49.4%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 51.8% in 2009
Foreign born
4.7%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
9.1%
−39.2 ptssince 2009
from 48.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
14.3%
−1.4 ptssince 2012
from 15.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
7.1%
−80.3 ptssince 2013
from 87.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
84.9%
+24.7 ptssince 2017
from 60.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
93.8%
−3.1 ptssince 2016
from 96.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.8%
+1.5 ptssince 2016
from 1.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married27.6%(1,725)
Married57.6%(3,597)
Widowed3.7%(233)
Divorced11.1%(692)
Women 15+
Never married16%(1,006)
Married57.8%(3,648)
Widowed13.1%(823)
Divorced13.1%(829)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Nelson County to nearby counties

NELSON COUNTY VS
Amherst County
Income$68,724−5%
Home value$212,400−34%
Population31,962+114%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NELSON COUNTY VS
Waynesboro
Income$59,994−17%
Home value$245,500−24%
Population23,951+61%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NELSON COUNTY VS
Albemarle County
Income$104,392+44%
Home value$495,400+54%
Population118,356+693%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NELSON COUNTY VS
Buckingham County
Income$60,828−16%
Home value$173,400−46%
Population17,137+15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Nelson County, Virginia?

Nelson County, Virginia has about 14,732 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Nelson County, Virginia?

The typical household in Nelson County, Virginia earns about $72,589 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Nelson County, Virginia expensive?

In Nelson County, Virginia, the median home is worth about $321,700, and the typical rent is about $946 a month.

How educated are people in Nelson County, Virginia?

About 36.3% of adults age 25 and over in Nelson County, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Nelson County, Virginia?

About 12.5% of people in Nelson County, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Nelson County, Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, Nelson County, Virginia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,954 residents, a change of about 15 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

5 census tracts
Census Tract 9503Census Tract 9501.01Census Tract 9502.02Census Tract 9501.02Census Tract 9502.01
12 ZIP codes
ZIP 22920ZIP 22967ZIP 22971ZIP 22958ZIP 22922ZIP 22969ZIP 22949ZIP 22938ZIP 24464ZIP 22976ZIP 22964ZIP 24581
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Nelson County, Virginia: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy