ZIP Codes of Nelson County, VA

Population & People
Population & People
Total Population
18,699
Household Income
Household Income
Median Income
$72,337
Housing
Housing
Total Housing Units
11,924
Business & Economy
Business & Economy
Total Businesses
435
Employment
Employment
Employment Rate
52.29%
Education
Education
Bachelor's Degree+
36.61%
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates · rolled up across the 13 ZIPs in this county.
Data Last Updated: June 1, 2026
ZIP Codes:13 ZIP Codes (13 Standard, 0 PO Box, 0 Unique) [See All]
Area Code:434
Timezone:Eastern (GMT -05:00)
Local Time:2:14:11 PM
Population:18,699 [See All]
FIPS:51125
CBSA:Charlottesville, VA
Land Area:607 sq mi
Water Area:4 sq mi
Coordinates:37.7837, -78.8854
Quick Link:
https://www.zip-codes.com/county/va-nelson.asp
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Extreme education divide
Bachelor's share ranges 12.6% to 64.8% across ZIPs — a 52-point gap.
Notable income spread
Median income ranges $33,879 to $108,571 across ZIPs — a 3.2× gap.

Standout ZIPs in this County


Most Populous
Afton · 3,608 people
19.3% of county total
Highest Income
Faber · $108,571 median
1.5× county average
Largest Land Area
Gladstone · 131.1 sq mi
Spans the most ground
Fastest Growth
Shipman · 54.3% (10-yr)
1,529 → 2,359 residents
Most Educated
Nellysford · 64.8% bachelor's+
1,284 of 1,983 adults 25+

Things worth knowing about Nelson County


18,699 residents live across 13 ZIPs covering 607 sq mi, served by 13 distinct USPS-recognized cities.

Population moved from 18,284 to 18,699 from 2014 to 2024 — a +2.3% change. 7 ZIPs gained residents, 5 lost (and 1 held flat).

The county's wealthiest ZIP 22938 (Faber, $108,571 median) and poorest ZIP 24464 (Montebello, $33,879) are 19.2 miles apart — a 3.2× income gap across local geography.

Median home values vary 3.5× across this county — from $140,500 in 24553 (Gladstone) to $487,500 in 22958 (Nellysford).

Density varies 14× across the county — from 8 people/sq mi in 24464 (Montebello) to 108 in 22958 (Nellysford).

Educational attainment ranges from 12.6% bachelor's+ in 24553 (Gladstone) to 64.8% in 22958 (Nellysford) — the breadth of educational profiles across the area.

Within Virginia, this is the #81 most populous of 134 counties and ranks #67 for median household income .

Weighted by population, the typical household earns about $79,343 across the county — reflecting what a typical resident sees, not a simple ZIP average.

36.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher (5,164 of 14,106 reporting).

13 Standard delivery, 0 PO Box only, 0 single-entity Unique ZIPs serve this county.

Stories about Nelson County


Higher-education hub

1 ZIP in this county where more than 60% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree — typically college campuses, research enclaves, or tech corridors.

Nellysford
64.8%
2,306 residents

Two counties in one

Median household income spans 3.2× between the wealthiest and poorest ZIPs — a sign of significant intra-county inequality.

Wealthiest ZIP
Faber
Median income: $108,571
Population: 884
Bachelor's+: 51.6%
vs
Poorest ZIP (pop >= 500)
Montebello
Median income: $33,879
Population: 190
Bachelor's+: 14.2%
For every $1 of household income in 24464, the typical household in 22938 earns $3.20.

Big & sparse

A frontier county — vast land area with only a few residents per square mile. Daily life looks very different here than in the country's denser counties.

Total area
607
square miles
Avg density
30.8
people per sq mi
Population
18,699
across 13 ZIPs
Gladstone
131.1 sq mi
1,610 residents
Roseland
104.3 sq mi
2,413 residents
Afton
77.2 sq mi
3,608 residents

All ZIP Codes in Nelson County


ZIPCityTypePopulationMedian IncomeArea (sq mi)10-yr Growth
22920AftonStandard3,608$88,02877.2-9.7%
22967RoselandStandard2,413$87,337104.340.2%
22971ShipmanStandard2,359$79,13554.554.3%
22958NellysfordStandard2,306$98,28421.326.1%
22922ArringtonStandard2,226$60,12546.714.2%
24553GladstoneStandard1,610$50,385131.1-27.9%
22969SchuylerStandard1,429$94,65947.414.5%
22949LovingstonStandard1,426$52,67940.51.2%
22938FaberStandard884$108,57136.1-38.8%
24464MontebelloStandard190$33,87924.42.2%
22976TyroStandard149$42,62216.3-71.2%
22964Piney RiverStandard993.3-55.8%
24581NorwoodStandard03.5

Adjacent & Nearby Counties