Nelson is a township in Kent County, Michigan, home to about 4,940 people across 35 square miles. Its ZIP code is 49343, and parts of 49319 are in Nelson too.
Homes sold for a median of $244 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Nelson; also Ensley and Spencer
Mostly Solon Township (Kent County); part is in Nelson
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Nelson. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Nelson’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Nelson well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR)26 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Milwaukee, WI123 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL147 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Nelson; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Nelson had 4,895 residents in the 2020 census, up 17% since 2000.
It’s the 368th largest of 1,531 towns in Michigan by population.
Kent County grew from 129,714 residents in 1900 to 657,974 in 2020.
Kent County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 83°F in summer, and winter lows average 14°F. About 38.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 48 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Kent City 2 Sw, MI weather station (12 miles away).
384,635 jobs at 17,799 businesses in Kent County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
1 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Nelson.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Physical and occupational therapists | 1 |
|---|---|
| Pharmacies | 1 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (7 nearby)
Grocery stores (2 nearby)
Libraries (3 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Buying or selling around Nelson? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Solon Township (Kent County), Cedar Springs, Courtland, Algoma, Ensley, Spencer, Oakfield and Pierson.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.