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Nelson, MN
City in Douglas County, Minnesota.
Population
155
Land area
0.7sq mi
People per sq mi
234
ZIP codes
0
Nelson and its ZIP codes
Nelson at a glance
- Nelson is about 3.3 times as dense as Minnesota as a whole.
Local data for Nelson, MN
Counts from official public data
Economy and federal money
Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Douglas County. PPP loans are for Nelson.
Unemployment rate
3.7%
Sep 2026, +0.8 pts in a year
Average annual pay
$59,860
19,728 jobs, 2025
Income per person
$69,260
BEA, 2024
Federal spending
$419M
FY 2026, $10,748 per person
Environment and hazard risk
Nelson, MN, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA
Natural hazard risk
Relatively Low
Top: winter weather
Storm events since 1996
474
Countywide, mostly hail
Flood insurance policies
11
0.1% of homes, county
July high / Jan low
80° / 2°F
24.1 inches of rain a year
Health statistics
Share of adults in Nelson, MN, CDC PLACES estimates
Obesity
35.3%
U.S. 33.3% +2.0 pts
Diabetes
9.4%
U.S. 12.1% -2.7 pts
Smoking
13.7%
U.S. 12.8% +0.9 pts
Uninsured (18-64)
6.4%
U.S. 11.1% -4.7 pts
Cities near Nelson
| Name | Distance | Land area (sq mi) |
|---|---|---|
| AlexandriaCity | 5 mi | 17.2 |
| OsakisCity | 5.5 mi | 1.9 |
| CarlosCity | 6.3 mi | 0.4 |
| ForadaCity | 8 mi | 0.5 |
| West UnionCity | 10 mi | 0.4 |
| MiltonaCity | 11 mi | 0.7 |
| GarfieldCity | 12 mi | 0.8 |
| VillardCity | 12 mi | 0.9 |
| WestportCity | 13 mi | 0.3 |
| BrandonCity | 17 mi | 0.5 |
| GlenwoodCity | 17 mi | 5.7 |
| LowryCity | 17 mi | 0.5 |
| Sauk CentreCity | 18 mi | 4.1 |
| Long BeachCity | 18 mi | 1.4 |
| Parkers PrairieCity | 19 mi | 1.2 |
| MillervilleCity | 19 mi | 0.9 |
Frequently asked questions
- What county is Nelson, MN in?
- Nelson is in Douglas County, Minnesota.
- What is the population of Nelson, MN?
- About 155 people live in Nelson, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
- What cities are near Nelson?
- Nearby places include Alexandria (5 mi), Osakis (5.5 mi), Carlos (6.3 mi), Forada (8 mi), West Union (10 mi).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023