Nelson County, North Dakota
Located in North Dakota, Nelson County has a population of 3,016 residents and a median age of 50.1 years, making it the #3,031 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 7.2%. The median home value is $139,700, and the median household income is $67,193, which is 11% below the national median.
Demographics
Nelson County has a population of 3,016, making it the #3,031 most populous county in the US. The median age is 50.1 years, which is 28.8% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Nelson County is $67,193, ranking #1,413 out of 3,222 counties — 10.6% below the national median. The poverty rate is 7.2% and unemployment stands at 1.1%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Nelson County is $139,700 (-50.4% vs national). Renters pay a median of $582/mo and the homeownership rate is 75.1%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Nelson County, 29.4% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 12.7% below the national average, ranking #807 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Nelson County is 78.4 years. 15.4% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.8% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
16.4% of adults in Nelson County smoke , 39.2% are obese , and 24.4% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
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Families & Children
8.5% of children in Nelson County live in poverty .
Child Poverty Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Nelson County is 78.8%. The mean commute time is 21.5 min, which is 22.2% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Nelson County voted Republican with a margin of 32.0%. The vote was 33% Dem / 65% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.8 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Nelson County, North Dakota
Nelson County, North Dakota has a total population of 3,016, making it the 3,031st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Nelson County is 50.1 years, which is 28.8% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Nelson County is $67,193, which ranks #1,413 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 10.6% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 7.2%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 1.1%.
The median home value in Nelson County is $139,700, 50.4% below the national median. Renters in Nelson County pay a median gross rent of $582 per month. The homeownership rate is 75.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Nelson County, 29.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 12.7% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 96.0% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 21.5 min.
Nelson County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 91.6% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic or Latino (3.0%).
All data for Nelson County, North Dakota comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.