Nelson is a city in Nuckolls County, Nebraska, home to about 487 people across 0.8 square miles. Its ZIP code is 68961.
Mostly Nelson; also Nora
We’re writing up Nelson’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Eppley Airfield (OMA)137 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Central Nebraska Regional Airport (GRI)54 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Lincoln, NE84 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Dallas, TX517 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 456 residents in the 2020 census, down 22% since 2000.
It’s the 214th largest of 580 towns in Nebraska by population.
Nuckolls County grew from 12,414 residents in 1900 to 4,095 in 2020.
Nuckolls County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 89°F in summer, and winter lows average 14°F. About 28 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 21 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Superior, NE weather station (12 miles away).
1,136 jobs at 156 businesses in Nuckolls County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
2 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Nelson.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 1 |
|---|---|
| Physical and occupational therapists | 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 (3 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 1 mile 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.
Public schools here are run by Lawrence - Nelson Public Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence - Nelson Middle SchoolNelson | 6–8 | 44 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Lawrence - Nelson High SchoolNelson | 9–12 | 69 | Public | 0.4 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Nora.
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.