Nelson County, Virginia
Located in Virginia, Nelson County has a population of 14,732 residents and a median age of 51.3 years, making it the #2,175 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.5%. The median home value is $321,700, and the median household income is $72,589, which is 3% below the national median.
Demographics
Nelson County has a population of 14,732, making it the #2,175 most populous county in the US. The median age is 51.3 years, which is 31.9% 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 $72,589, ranking #1,008 out of 3,222 counties — 3.4% below the national median. The poverty rate is 12.5% and unemployment stands at 3.3%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Nelson County is $321,700 (+14.1% vs national). Renters pay a median of $946/mo and the homeownership rate is 79.7%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Nelson County, 36.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 7.6% above the national average, ranking #412 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Nelson County is 76.7 years. 16.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 12.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
14.8% of adults in Nelson County smoke , 34.8% are obese , and 20.6% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 22.4 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 17.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 27.9 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
17.8% of children in Nelson County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 21.5 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Nelson County is 78.0%. The mean commute time is 33.7 min, which is 22.0% above 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 7.5%. The vote was 45.8% Dem / 53.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Nelson County, Virginia
Nelson County, Virginia has a total population of 14,732, making it the 2,175th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Nelson County is 51.3 years, which is 31.9% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Nelson County is $72,589, which ranks #1,008 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 3.4% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.5%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 3.3%.
The median home value in Nelson County is $321,700, 14.1% above the national median. Renters in Nelson County pay a median gross rent of $946 per month. The homeownership rate is 79.7%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Nelson County, 36.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 7.6% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 92.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 33.7 min.
Nelson County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 79.8% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (11.0%) and Hispanic or Latino (4.8%).
All data for Nelson County, Virginia 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.