Nelson is a small town of 387 in Arizona, with a median household income of $52,300
.
Its cost of living index is 94 (US average = 100), which is
6% below the national average.
Strengths:
Nelson stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Nelson is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Nelson city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 94.3
Nelson's overall cost of living index is 94.3,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Nelson costs roughly 6% less than the average American city.
Metric
Nelson, AZ
National Avg
Median Home Value
$93,900
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
N/A
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
86.8%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$52,300
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Near National Average
Nelson's violent crime rate is 396.8 per 100,000 residents
— 4% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
396.8 /100k
Property Crime
2614.3 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Nelson, AZ
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
2.3%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
91.9%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Nelson sees average highs of 66.7°F in January
and 101.7°F in July,
with 11.1 inches of annual precipitation
.
Nelson's cost of living index is 94, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Nelson roughly 6% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $93,900 and median rent is N/A/month.
Nelson's violent crime rate is 396.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2614.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Nelson, AZ has a population of 387, a median household income of $52,300, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Nelson averages 66.7°F in January and 101.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 11.1 inches
.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Nelson, Arizona is 387 with a median age of 34.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Nelson: cost of living index 94 (100 = US average), median home $93,900, median household income $52,300, crime index 112 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Nelson side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.