The Town FilesNelsonville, Ohio
City in Athens County · population 4,612 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $99,200
- Household income
- $49,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 31.2
Nelsonville is a city of 4,612 people in Athens County, Ohio. The median home is worth $99,200, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). It ranks better for cycling than 92% of Ohio towns, better for first-time buyers than 82% of Ohio towns.
How Nelsonville ranks
Percentile among Ohio towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Ohio towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Nelsonville is worth $99,200, below the typical Ohio town ($171,100). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $49,750, which is more affordable than 87% of Ohio towns. Median rent is $773 a month. 39.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Nelsonville | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $99,200 | $171,100 |
| Median rent | $773 | $914 |
| Median household income | $49,750 | $67,019 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.6× |
| Homeownership | 39.5% | 71.7% |
| Median year built | 1952 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Nelsonville
| People | Nelsonville | Typical Ohio town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.2 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.9% | 19.1% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.7% | 21.3% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.6% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 8.6% |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 23.3 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.0% | 90.9% |
Weather in Nelsonville
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 18.7°F. About 43.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.5 inches of snow (typical Ohio town: 23.8 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 135 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Nelsonville since 1950, compared with 16 for the typical Ohio town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on September 16, 2010 about 4.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 28, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 28, 2016.
Severe weather in Athens County since 1996
Athens County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4507: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3457: Covid-19 |
| April 8, 2019 | Flood | DR-4424: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides |
| April 17, 2018 | Flood | DR-4360: Severe Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| August 20, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4077: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
Jobs and pay in Athens County
Athens County had 21,207 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,117 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Nelsonville itself the ACS puts it at 11.6%.
Public schools in Nelsonville
4 public schools with 1,609 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tri-County Career Center Building | 11-12 | 564 | 13.1 |
| Nelsonville-York Elementary School | PK-5 | 504 | 11.7 |
| Nelsonville-York High School | 9-12 | 295 | 14.0 |
| Nelsonville-York Junior High School | 6-8 | 246 | 13.7 |
Towns near Nelsonville
- The Plains, OH8.1 mi · 3,140 people · home $233,500
- Logan, OH11.2 mi · 7,296 people · home $159,600
- Athens, OH11.3 mi · 23,849 people · home $247,000
- New Lexington, OH17.7 mi · 4,435 people · home $113,800
- Lancaster, OH27.4 mi · 40,552 people · home $193,900
- Wellston, OH29.1 mi · 5,412 people · home $124,000
Nelsonville questions
Is Nelsonville, Ohio a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Nelsonville scores better for retirees than 10% of Ohio towns and quieter than 33%. 10.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.2).
How much does a house cost in Nelsonville?
The median owner-occupied home in Nelsonville is valued at $99,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,750, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $773 a month.
What is the weather like in Nelsonville?
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 18.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.2 inches of precipitation a year and 11.5 inches of snow.
Does Nelsonville get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Nelsonville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on September 16, 2010. The typical Ohio town has had 16.
- 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)