United States › Virginia › Nelson County COUNTY · 2010 ACS
Nelson County Virginia · 15,020 residents · 471 sq mi
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The short version
Nelson County is home to 15,020 people in Virginia. At a median age of 47.6, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 79% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 3%. Households here earn about 22% less than in Virginia as a whole. Getting to work takes 32 minutes on average.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 47.6
US median: 37.2
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 46%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01
Population & growth from 42.8 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
13K 13K 14K 15K 15K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Nelson County Age distribution, 2010
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Section 02
Income & economy $48,118
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,769 in 2000
US average: $52,703
from $22,230 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
from 24.1% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
from 12.1% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Workforce by industry, 2010
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.7%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Education & health services 0.4%
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$174,100
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $94,000 in 2000
US average: $225,659
$655
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $440 in 2000
US average: $853
from 80.8% in 2000
21.0% rent
from 31.8% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
from 2.31 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
from 23.1% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
from 31.1% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
from 3.6 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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 81.4%(11,765)
Hispanic / Latino 2.1%(305)
2010
White, non-Hispanic 81.8%(12,283)
Hispanic / Latino 3.1%(459)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data from 20.8% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
from 69.0% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
from 9.2% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 24.5 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
from 70.6% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
from 16.1% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07
Work & employment from 15.7% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
from 32.4% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08
People & community from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 27.6%(1,725)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 12.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 20.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 28.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 14.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 68.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 41.4% 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) 19.7%(218)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.1%(189)
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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Nelson County Head to head
Compare Nelson County to nearby counties NELSON COUNTY VS
Amherst County
Income $68,724 +43%
Home value $212,400 +22%
Population 31,962 +114%
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NELSON COUNTY VS
Waynesboro
Income $59,994 +25%
Home value $245,500 +41%
Population 23,951 +61%
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NELSON COUNTY VS
Albemarle County
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Home value $495,400 +185%
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NELSON COUNTY VS
Buckingham County
Income $60,828 +26%
Home value $173,400 same
Population 17,137 +15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Nelson County, Virginia? Nelson County, Virginia has about 15,020 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Nelson County, Virginia? The typical household in Nelson County, Virginia earns about $48,118 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 $174,100, and the typical rent is about $655 a month.
How educated are people in Nelson County, Virginia? About 22.9% 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 11.9% 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 2,242 residents, a change of about 18 percent over that period.
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