The Town FilesNelson, New Hampshire
Town in Cheshire County · population 629 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $340,900
- Household income
- $99,792
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 80 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 42.3
Nelson is a town of 629 people in Cheshire County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $340,900, close to the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 98% of New Hampshire towns, easier by car than 93% of New Hampshire towns, better for a vacation home than 83% of New Hampshire towns.
How Nelson ranks
Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Nelson is worth $340,900, close to the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $99,792, which is more affordable than 71% of New Hampshire towns. Median rent is $1,203 a month. 90.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Nelson | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $340,900 | $357,650 |
| Median rent | $1,203 | $1,285 |
| Median household income | $99,792 | $94,107 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 90.2% | 82.1% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 26.5% | — |
Who lives in Nelson
| People | Nelson | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 46.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.8% | 22.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.1% | 36.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.4% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.1% | — |
| Work from home | 31.5% | 14.2% |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.3% | 92.5% |
Weather in Nelson
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 10.4°F. About 46.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 80.0 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 174 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Nelson since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 31, 1998 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 23, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 11, 1980.
Severe weather in Cheshire County since 1996
Cheshire County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4740: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 4, 2021 | Flood | DR-4624: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 30, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4622: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4516: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3445: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Cheshire County
Cheshire County had 31,134 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,392 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Nelson itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Nelson
1 public school with 63 students, about 9.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson Elementary School | K-5 | 63 | 9.0 |
Towns near Nelson
- Harrisville, NH4.4 mi · 984 people · home $430,500
- Sullivan, NH4.9 mi · 658 people · home $236,500
- Stoddard, NH5.3 mi · 1,374 people · home $330,300
- Hancock, NH6.4 mi · 1,731 people · home $436,700
- Gilsum, NH7.7 mi · 752 people · home $241,500
- Antrim, NH7.9 mi · 2,651 people · home $298,800
- Marlborough, NH8.0 mi · 1,066 people · home $261,700
- Dublin, NH8.1 mi · 1,532 people · home $430,500
Nelson questions
Is Nelson, New Hampshire a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Nelson scores better for retirees than 56% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 74%. 24.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in Nelson?
The median owner-occupied home in Nelson is valued at $340,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $99,792, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,203 a month.
What is the weather like in Nelson?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 10.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.1 inches of precipitation a year and 80.0 inches of snow.
Does Nelson get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Nelson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 31, 1998. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)