Clarke County vs Nelson County
A side-by-side comparison of Clarke County and Nelson County: population, income, housing, and more.
Clarke County and Nelson County are counties in Virginia. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Clarke County has the higher population (15,060 vs 14,777 in Nelson County). Clarke County has the higher median household income ($114,185 vs $68,525 in Nelson County). Clarke County has the higher median home value ($538,900 vs $283,000 in Nelson County).
Population, income & housing
| Clarke County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,060 | 14,777 |
| Median age | 48.3 yrs | 51.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $114,185 | $68,525 |
| Median home value | $538,900 | $283,000 |
| Median gross rent | $1,360 | $950 |
| Housing units | 6,478 | 9,947 |
| Homeownership rate | 82.1% | 79.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.3% | 33.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.3% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Clarke County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,423 → 15,060 (+4.4%) | 14,831 → 14,777 (-0.4%) |
| Median household income | $80,026 → $114,185 (+42.7%) | $64,313 → $68,525 (+6.5%) |
| Median home value | $347,200 → $538,900 (+55.2%) | $235,000 → $283,000 (+20.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,151 → $1,360 (+18.2%) | $759 → $950 (+25.2%) |
Clarke County
14,42315,060
$80,026$114,185
$347,200$538,900
$1,151$1,360
Nelson County
14,83114,777
$64,313$68,525
$235,000$283,000
$759$950
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Clarke County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 3.7% | 5.5% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.3% | 12.2% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.3% | 7.0% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.1% | 9.4% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.8% | 9.5% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.4% | 10.8% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.6% | 16.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.9% | 18.4% |
| 75 and over | 8.9% | 10.8% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Clarke County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 83.2% | 79.9% |
| Black or African American | 4.9% | 10.3% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 1.7% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.1% | 4.7% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Clarke County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 7.2% | 11.3% |
| High school graduate | 27.7% | 30.2% |
| Some college or associate's | 27.8% | 24.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 23.2% | 22.1% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 14.1% | 11.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Clarke County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 71.2% | 63.6% |
| Carpooled | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Public transit | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Walked | 2.2% | 2.6% |
| Bicycle | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 16.9% | 22.7% |
| Other means | 2.2% | 1.2% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Clarke County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 88.7% | 77.8% |
| 1-unit, attached | 4.7% | 0.8% |
| 2 to 4 units | 1.8% | 2.3% |
| 5 to 19 units | 0.7% | 9.3% |
| 20 or more units | 2.9% | 0.3% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.3% | 9.5% |
Poverty & households
| Clarke County | Nelson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 14.4% |
| Average household size | 2.62 | 2.27 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 34 | 30 |
| Median year structure built | 1980 | 1987 |
Full profiles
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