← Map/← North Dakota/Counties/Nelson

Nelson
North Dakota

Population

$62K

Median Income

$150K

Median Home

R+25

Politics

Economy

Median Household Income$62K

This county

national avg ~$75K

Poverty Rate10.9%

This county

national avg ~11.5%

Unemployment Rate2.9%

This county

national avg ~3.8%

GDP per Capita$73,962

Federal Spending per Capita$3,720

Median Individual Earnings$46K

This county

national avg $45K

Professional/Management Workers43.3%

Average Adjusted Gross Income$79K

Avg Credit Score733

Work From Home %7.0%

This county

national avg 17.0%

Population Under 1820.6%

This county

national avg 22.0%

Single-Person Households40.9%

This county

national avg 28.0%

Banks & Finance Firms7

Income (20th Percentile)$23K

Income (80th Percentile)$116K

Income (95th Percentile)$198K

Bachelor's Degree or Higher30.3%

This county

national avg 35.0%

Less Than High School6.0%

This county

national avg 11.0%

Knowledge Economy GDP %2.1%

Dependency Ratio1.29

Medicare Spending / Person$3,955

SS Benefits / Person$5,917

Education Wage Premium1.22x

Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$58K

Median Earnings (Graduate)$51K

Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$41K

Public Assistance Recipients1.5%

Average Annual Wage$47K

Professional Services Concentration0.38x national

This county

1.0 = national average share

Housing

Median Home Value$149K

This county

$255K state avg

$303K national

Market Rent (ZORI)$539/mo

This county

$1100/mo state avg

$1400/mo national

Property Tax Rate0.80%

This county

0.88% state avg

1.10% national

Annual tax on median home: $856

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$873/mo

Home Value to Income Ratio1.1x income

Severely Cost-Burdened Households5.8%

Homeownership Rate75.1%

This county

national avg ~65%

Days on Market (Redfin)— Slow — buyers have leverage

53 days

Months of Supply (Redfin)— Low inventory — sellers market

2.0 mo

Sold Above List (Redfin)

0.0%

Sale-to-List Ratio (Redfin)— Buyers market — homes selling below list

97.1%

Source: Redfin · Updated monthly

Health

Life Expectancy79.4 yrs

This county

national avg ~78.5 years

Food Insecurity6.7%

This county

national avg ~11%

Food Environment Index6.7 / 10

This county

higher = better access

Primary Care Shortage Score17

This county

national avg 5

Mental Health Shortage Score14

Dental Care Shortage Score16

Healthcare Shortage Score15.7

Healthcare Offices5

Obesity Rate (BRFSS)39.8%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Smoking Rate (BRFSS)13.9%

This county

national avg 14.0%

Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)15.3%

This county

national avg 18.0%

Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)21.2%

This county

national avg 24.0%

High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)30.2%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Active Physicians3

Nursing Home Rating2.7 / 5

This county

national avg ~3 stars

ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients532 / 1,000

Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$10,498

Uninsured (under 65)7.0%

This county

national avg ~10%

Adults with Depression21.6%

Education

Math Test Scores3.25 grade level

Reading Test Scores3.12 grade level

HS Diploma Holders539

Bachelor's Degree Holders328

HS Completion Rate94.0%

This county

national avg ~85%

Safety

Violent Crime Rate3.0 / 1,000

This county

national avg ~4.0

Traffic Fatalities2

Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)5th pct

Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)0.0 / 100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale-3.7

January Sunshine-0.38

January Temperature-2.31

Average Temp41°F

Avg High Temp51°F

Avg Low Temp30°F

Annual Precipitation19.8 in/yr

Avg Storm Events10.2 storms/yr

Avg Annual Storm Damage$50K

Drought Index (2022)1.13

Heating Degree Days9,183 HDD/yr

This county

national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days456 CDD/yr

This county

national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr

Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)10,242 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)360 CDD/yr

Avg Tornadoes / Year1.6

Avg Flood Events / Year0.4

Avg Hail Events / Year2.4

Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00

Avg Wildfire Events / Year0.0

Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0

Avg Heat Events / Year0.0

Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)15 / 100

Community Resilience (FEMA)50 / 100

Federal Disaster Declarations33 since 1953

Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)5.8 µg/m³

This county

EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

Historic Places (NRHP)5 properties

FAA-Registered Airports3 total

Airports (excl. heliports)3 airports

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed189 Mbps

This county

national avg ~120 Mbps

Upload Speed162 Mbps

Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)227 Mbps

Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)41 Mbps

Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)2 Mbps

Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)80 ms

Households with 100Mbps+100.0%

This county

national avg 75.0%

Cellular-Only Internet8.9%

This county

national avg 8.0%

Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)186 Mbps

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers95 workers

Public Transit Commuters4 workers

Walk to Work139 workers

Extreme Commutes (90+ min)27 workers

Avg Commute Time19.2 min

This county

national avg ~27 min

Bike Commuters1.6%

Walk to Work10.3%

Agriculture

Farms237 farms

Farmland41,726 acres

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden25.0%

This county

national median ~27% of household income

Childcare Centers27.2 per 10K residents

Childcare Facilities4

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout78.8%

This county

national avg ~55%

Volunteering Rate1.0%

Income Inequality (Gini)4.942

Nonprofit Organizations42

Veterans Share9.4%

This county

national avg 7.0%

Married Adults56.0%

Never-Married Adults24.4%

Divorced Adults9.4%

Religious Organizations8

Asian Population1.4%

Native American Population0.1%

Membership Associations22.9 per 10K residents

Lifestyle & Services

Full-Service Restaurants1.08 per 1K residents

Nursing & Care Facilities3

Professional Services Firms5

Real Estate Firms3

Debt Burden

Avg Mortgage Balance$99K

Avg Student Loan Balance$11K

Avg Credit Card Balance$5K

Loan Delinquency Rate23.3%

This county

national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.06%

Politics

R+25

2024 Presidential · North Dakota was R+33 statewide

vs North Dakota State

Income tax

2.5%Same (state law)

Property tax

0.80%0.88% state avg

Politics

R+25R+33

COL Index

County data98 (state)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↑ +0

More people arriving than leaving

IRS Wealth Migration

Lower-income migration pattern (IRS: 0.64x avg income)

Economic Mobility

59%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in Nelson County

Median home value: $150K

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

Opens in a new tab

Local News — Nelson

Thomas Family Funeral Home · 2 days ago

Dusty Lynn Nelson Obituary Aug 7, 2026

Dusty Lynn Nelson , 66, of Yuma, AZ, and Garrison, ND, passed away on Friday, August 7, 2026, at his…

North Dakota Monitor · 1 week ago

Interior’s oil rule changes silence landowners, put land at risk, groups say

A North Dakota landowner is among those protesting oil and gas rule changes proposed by the federal …

West Funeral Home · Jun 28, 2026

Obituary for Barbara Nelson

Obituary for Barbara Nelson | Barbara Ann Radermacher was born to William and Grace (Jendro) Raderma…

Gilbertson Funeral Home · Mar 21, 2026

Duane Theodore Nelson Obituary Mar 21, 2026

Duane Theodore Nelson, age 89, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 21, 2026, surrounded by his…

Askew Funeral Home | Langdon, ND · Mar 15, 2026

Grant Nelson Obituary Mar 15, 2026

Grant W. Nelson of Langdon, N.D., and St. George, Utah, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 15, …

Legacy | Obituary · 2 weeks ago

Helen Nelson Obituary (2026) - Kenmare, ND - Thompson - Larson Funeral Home, Minot

19, 2026. Helen Nelson (Anderson), 94, of Kenmare, North Dakota, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, …

Explore Other North Dakota Counties

Adams County, North Dakota Billings County, North Dakota Bottineau County, North Dakota Bowman County, North Dakota Burke County, North Dakota Burleigh County, North Dakota Cass County, North Dakota Cavalier County, North Dakota Dickey County, North Dakota Divide County, North Dakota Dunn County, North Dakota Eddy County, North Dakota All North Dakota counties →

Full North Dakota profile

Taxes, cost of living, crime, schools, gun laws and more.

View North Dakota →

Data: Census ACS, BLS, Zillow, USDA Natural Amenities, OpenElections 2024, CMS, NCES. Vintage 2022–2025. News via Google News.

NelsonNorth Dakota

Nelson
North Dakota