Nelson County, North Dakota
Among the top 5% of US counties for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A+, better than 95% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 39% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A, better than 87% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 37% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade F, better than 9% of US counties
- top 3% for unemployment
- top 3% for monthly rent
- bottom 6% for airport distance
Nelson County is a county in North Dakota with about 3,025 residents. It grades A+ for affordability and F for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include unemployment, monthly rent, and natural disaster risk. It rates lower on amenities nearby and airport distance.
Official websitenelsonco.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
freezing
v.cold
cold
comf.
warm
comf.
cold
v.cold
freez.
78%53%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.3 in0.5 in
humid 24%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$62k55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$45kbetter than 47% of US counties
Home Value$107k16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$539better than 97% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 68% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.80%better than 55% of US counties
Income Tax2.50%better than 80% of US counties
Sales Tax7.04%better than 56% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden6.20%better than 85% of US counties
Unemployment1.2%better than 97% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)7°F1st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)69°F9th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation20.6 in14th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall45.6 inbetter than 15% of US counties
Sunny Days229 daysbetter than 40% of US counties
Summer Humidity60°Fbetter than 77% of US counties
Comfortable Days81 daysbetter than 54% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk7.9better than 90% of US counties
School Quality77.0better than 80% of US counties
Violent Crime730/100kbetter than 53% of US counties
Property Crime539/100kbetter than 70% of US counties
Community
Population3,0256th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age50.094th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1323rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9832nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3242nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)91.8%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.0%2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.9%42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.5%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.9%37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 77% of US counties
Walkability6.0/20better than 49% of US counties
Airport Distance317 mibetter than 6% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access78.1%better than 24% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 30% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Nelson County an affordable place to live?
- Nelson County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $45k, better than 47% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Nelson County?
- The median home value in Nelson County is $107k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Nelson County?
- Median household income in Nelson County is $62k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Nelson County?
- Median gross rent in Nelson County is $539 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Nelson County safe?
- Nelson County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 730/100k (better than 53%). Property crime is 539/100k.
- What is the weather like in Nelson County?
- Nelson County averages 69°F in July and 7°F in January, with 20.6 in of annual precipitation and about 229 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Nelson County?
- Public-school quality in Nelson County is above average, scoring better than 80% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Nelson County?
- The average one-way commute in Nelson County is 21 min.
Other counties in North Dakota
Explore North Dakota
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)