Nelson County, Virginia

7 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 14,777
Median household income: $68,525
Median home value: $283,000

Home to 14,777 residents, Nelson County is one of Virginia's counties. 7 cities and places have their primary county here. At $68,525, its median household income sits below Virginia's $90,974.

Between 2019 and 2023, Nelson County's population held roughly steady from 14,831 to 14,777, while its median household income rose 6.5% from $64,313 to $68,525.

77.8% of homes are single-family detached houses. The typical home was built around 1987.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 14,777
Median age: 51.3 yrs
Median household income: $68,525
Median home value: $283,000
Median gross rent: $950
Housing units: 9,947
Homeownership rate: 79.2%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 33.7%
Unemployment rate: 3.3%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

14,83114,777

Median household income

$64,313$68,525

Median home value

$235,000$283,000

Median gross rent

$759$950

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	14,831	$64,313	$235,000	$759
2020	14,812	$62,203	$233,400	$834
2021	14,795	$67,707	$243,900	$858
2022	14,773	$64,028	$275,100	$921
2023	14,777	$68,525	$283,000	$950

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.5%

5 to 1712.2%

18 to 247.0%

25 to 349.4%

35 to 449.5%

45 to 5410.8%

55 to 6416.4%

65 to 7418.4%

75 and over10.8%

	Count	Share
Under 5	811	5.5%
5 to 17	1,799	12.2%
18 to 24	1,031	7.0%
25 to 34	1,385	9.4%
35 to 44	1,401	9.5%
45 to 54	1,602	10.8%
55 to 64	2,424	16.4%
65 to 74	2,724	18.4%
75 and over	1,600	10.8%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	11,804	79.9%
Black or African American	1,515	10.3%
American Indian & Alaska Native	9	0.1%
Asian	250	1.7%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	65	0.4%
Two or more races	442	3.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	692	4.7%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma11.3%

High school graduate30.2%

Some college or associate's24.8%

Bachelor's degree22.1%

Graduate or professional degree11.6%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	1,256	11.3%
High school graduate	3,361	30.2%
Some college or associate's	2,766	24.8%
Bachelor's degree	2,465	22.1%
Graduate or professional degree	1,288	11.6%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 30 min

Drove alone63.6%

Carpooled9.6%

Public transit0.2%

Walked2.6%

Bicycle0.2%

Worked from home22.7%

Other means1.2%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	4,067	63.6%
Carpooled	616	9.6%
Public transit	10	0.2%
Walked	166	2.6%
Bicycle	10	0.2%
Worked from home	1,450	22.7%
Other means	79	1.2%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	1,115	22.5%
15 to 29 min	1,140	23.0%
30 to 44 min	1,288	26.0%
45 to 59 min	967	19.5%
60+ min	438	8.9%

Households

Average household size: 2.27
Poverty rate: 14.4% (2,118 of 14,738)

	Count	Share
Family households	3,987	61.6%
Nonfamily households	2,483	38.4%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1987

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	6,470	65.0%
Vacant	3,477	35.0%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	5,124	79.2%
Renter-occupied	1,346	20.8%

1-unit, detached77.8%

1-unit, attached0.8%

2 to 4 units2.3%

5 to 19 units9.3%

20 or more units0.3%

Mobile home & other9.5%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	7,738	77.8%
1-unit, attached	78	0.8%
2 to 4 units	228	2.3%
5 to 19 units	927	9.3%
20 or more units	28	0.3%
Mobile home & other	948	9.5%

Geography

County GEOID: 51125
State: Virginia
Land area: 471 sq mi
Water area: 3.47 sq mi
Center point: 37.7891, -78.8834

Cities & places

Compare with nearby counties

Other counties in Virginia

132