Nelson, Illinois Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 125, Nelson's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Nelson is a small community located in Illinois, within Lee County. The total population is 125. It ranks as the 1306th most populous out of 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois.

Age Demographics

The median age in Nelson is 56.9 years. This is 46% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. Only 8.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Nelson is $39,250. This is 53% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 51% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.6%. This is 83% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 5.1%. This is 12% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $86,300. Housing costs are 67% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Nelson is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 89.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 33% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Nelson has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.2% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.2%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (95.2% vs 58.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population (3.2%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (1.6%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

11.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 69% lower than the state rate of 37.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 75.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Nelson, Illinois is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Illinois state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.