Nelson, Georgia

Population

Growing. Up 1.8% since 2020.

1,172

people, the 291st-largest of Georgia's cities and towns.

Census Population Estimates, 2025. Rank among Georgia's cities and towns computed by the Almanac. Sources: Census Population Estimates

The workday

Every job here goes to someone who lives somewhere else.

100.0%

of 75 jobs located in Nelson are filled by in-commuters.

Census LEHD LODES, 2023. Sources: Census LEHD LODES

Rent

Median rent is up 69% since the 2005–2009 survey, before inflation.

$998

a month. Georgia's median is $1,393.

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024 (latest), with earlier 5-year windows. Survey estimates for a place this size carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year

The seam

Cross one tract line and median rent jumps $1,140.

A $1,140 gap between neighbors, the sharpest rent edge between adjacent tracts in Cherokee County.

• $1,398 Tract 906.03
• $2,538 Tract 908.08

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024, adjacent tracts compared by the Almanac. Tract estimates carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year

Room to build

Local wages can carry more rent than the median charged today.

$1,202–$1,803

is the monthly rent range local workforce wages support.

• $998 median

Supportable rent computed by the Almanac from 2023 source wage data. Median rent: Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Sources: Computed by the Almanac, Census ACS 5-year

Building

72% of the housing here was built before 2000.

• 17 homes permitted in ten years, 2016–2025
• 0% of those were in multifamily buildings
• 72% of all homes were built before 2000

Census Building Permits Survey, 2016–2025; Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Survey estimates for a place this size carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census Building Permits Survey, Census ACS 5-year

Units needed

Closing the gap would add 0.2% to the 458 homes here.

1

is the estimated number of missing housing units; all three estimates agree.

Range computed by the Almanac from 2023 jobs and household data, using three demand models: 1% of jobs located here, 1% of renter households, and a rate by town size applied to renters. The low end is the lowest of the three and the high end the highest. It is an estimate, not a count. Sources: Computed by the Almanac

Home value

A median home costs 16% less than Georgia's.

$255,000

median home value in Nelson.

• $255,000 Nelson
• $303,300 Georgia
• $332,700 U.S.

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Survey estimates for a place this size carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year