Nelson County, Virginia
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 54% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 74% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 59% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 17% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 58% of US counties
- top 10% for sales tax
- top 20% for property tax rate
- bottom 17% for commute time
Nelson County is a county in Virginia with about 15,000 residents. It grades B+ for weather and D for getting around. Standout strengths include sales tax, property tax rate, and unemployment. It rates lower on walkability and commute time.
Official websitenelsoncounty-va.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
cold
cool
comfortable
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
cold
73%61%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.1 in3.3 in
humid 75%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$64k60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$49kbetter than 26% of US counties
Home Value$275k85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$921better than 32% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 35% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.56%better than 80% of US counties
Income Tax5.80%better than 29% of US counties
Sales Tax5.77%better than 90% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.11%better than 37% of US counties
Unemployment3.2%better than 79% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)37°F58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)77°F49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation46.1 in58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall16.2 inbetter than 45% of US counties
Sunny Days253 daysbetter than 67% of US counties
Summer Humidity66°Fbetter than 46% of US counties
Comfortable Days86 daysbetter than 68% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk34.1better than 64% of US counties
School Quality70.4better than 75% of US counties
Violent Crime828/100kbetter than 47% of US counties
Property Crime1161/100kbetter than 38% of US counties
Community
Population14,77333rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age50.795th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3154th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0265th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)80.6%49th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)12.4%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.6%48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.2%22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.2%20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 17% of US counties
Walkability5.2/20better than 23% of US counties
Airport Distance89 mibetter than 55% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access78.1%better than 24% of US counties
Amenities Nearby5.42better than 69% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 74% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Nelson County an affordable place to live?
- Nelson County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $49k, better than 26% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Nelson County?
- The median home value in Nelson County is $275k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Nelson County?
- Median household income in Nelson County is $64k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Nelson County?
- Median gross rent in Nelson County is $921 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 828/100k (better than 47%). Property crime is 1161/100k.
- What is the weather like in Nelson County?
- Nelson County averages 77°F in July and 37°F in January, with 46.1 in of annual precipitation and about 253 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Nelson County?
- Public-school quality in Nelson County is above average, scoring better than 75% 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 30 min.
Other counties in Virginia
Explore Virginia
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)