Nelson County is a county of 14,732 people in Virginia. At a median age of 51.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. That puts it in the top 9% of US counties for household income. Owners hold 80% of the housing stock. Density works out to 31 people per square mile. 5% of locals were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $72,589, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Nelson County
What changed most since 1990
Median home value (2024 dollars)$120,963 → $321,700(+166%)US over the same years: +67%
Median age37.1 → 51.3(+14.2 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Black share18.7% → 11.0%(−7.6 pts)US over the same years: +0.2 pts
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)19.7%(218)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.1%(189)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era42.9%(474)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.1%(12)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.5%(17)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,104 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
Over time
Nelson County, decade by decade
Nelson County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
12,778
$56,894
$120,963
13.4%
41.2
2000
14,445
$66,980
$171,236
20.8%
39.3
2010
15,020
$69,221
$250,455
22.9%
39.2
2020
14,775
$75,392
$282,890
30.9%
42.6
2024
14,732
$72,589
$321,700
36.3%
43.5
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
