How old are the homes in the Town of Nelson, NY?

Name: Age of homes in the Town of Nelson, NY, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

72.7% (±11.5 points) of the homes in the Town of Nelson, NY were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

37.1% were built before 1940.

2.5% were built in 2010 or later.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Built before 1980: 72.7% (±11.5 points)
Built before 1940: 37.1%
Built 2010 or later: 2.5%

When the homes in the Town of Nelson were built

Housing units by year structure built, 2020–2024
Year built	Town of Nelson	Madison County	New York	United States
2020 or later	1.4% (±2.2 points)	0.4%	0.8%	2.0%
2010 to 2019	1.1% (±1.3 points)	4.2%	5.3%	9.4%
2000 to 2009	6.0% (±2.9 points)	8.5%	6.4%	13.6%
1990 to 1999	10.6% (±4.5 points)	9.1%	5.9%	12.4%
1980 to 1989	8.2% (±3.2 points)	11.8%	7.7%	12.9%
1970 to 1979	10.8% (±5.2 points)	10.9%	9.8%	14.2%
1960 to 1969	8.5% (±4.6 points)	8.6%	12.1%	9.9%
1950 to 1959	12.8% (±5.2 points)	10.9%	14.1%	9.5%
1940 to 1949	3.5% (±3.0 points)	4.7%	7.6%	4.4%
1939 or earlier	37.1% (±7.0 points)	30.8%	30.3%	11.7%

In the Town of Nelson, the share of homes built before 1980 is not measurably different from Madison County (65.9%).

It is not measurably different from New York (73.9%).

It is higher than the national figure (49.7%).

In Madison County, the Town of Nelson ranks 4 of 16 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest share of homes built before 1980.

Statewide, it ranks 211 of 1,006.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Why the age of a home matters: lead-based paint

Federal law treats housing built before 1978 as likely to contain lead-based paint.

Before a lease or sale of most pre-1978 housing, the landlord or seller must disclose any known lead-based paint and hazards and give the tenant or buyer the EPA pamphlet (42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 40 CFR part 745, subpart F; 24 CFR part 35, subpart A).

A contractor paid to renovate, repair or paint a pre-1978 home must be a certified firm, use a certified renovator and follow lead-safe work practices under the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E) whenever the job disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface in a room or more than 20 square feet outside; window replacement and demolition always count (40 CFR 745.83).

Certification comes from EPA, or from the state where EPA has authorized the state to run the program.

The Census Bureau groups construction by decade, so the share built before 1978 lies between the share built before 1970 (61.9%) and the share built before 1980 (72.7%).

Homes built before 1980 in places near the Town of Nelson

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with the Town of Nelson
Place	Distance	Homes built before 1980	Compared with this place
Town of Nelson	—	72.7% (±11.5 points)	—
Village of Morrisville	5.2 mi	79.0% (±17.2 points)	Not measurably different
Town of Eaton	5.8 mi	80.9% (±13.7 points)	Not measurably different
Village of Cazenovia	6.1 mi	66.5% (±9.5 points)	Not measurably different
Town of Cazenovia	6.3 mi	59.6% (±6.9 points)	Not measurably different
Town of Fenner	6.3 mi	53.9% (±9.6 points)	Lower
Town of Smithfield	6.8 mi	49.5% (±13.2 points)	Lower
Town of Georgetown	6.8 mi	59.8% (±10.0 points)	Not measurably different
Town of Lebanon	9.5 mi	64.0% (±14.9 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Town of Fenner, NY (53.9%), Town of Smithfield, NY (49.5%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Homes built before 1980 across Madison County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes built before 1980
1	Oneida	82.3% (±6.9 points)
2	Town of Eaton	80.9% (±13.7 points)
3	Town of Lenox	73.7% (±6.9 points)
4	Town of Nelson	72.7% (±11.5 points)
5	Town of Hamilton	67.5% (±8.0 points)
6	Town of Lebanon	64.0% (±14.9 points)
7	Town of Georgetown	59.8% (±10.0 points)
8	Town of Cazenovia	59.6% (±6.9 points)
9	Town of DeRuyter	59.5% (±9.5 points)
10	Town of Sullivan	58.1% (±5.2 points)

Showing 10 of 16 places in Madison County, ranked from highest to lowest.

A New York town includes the villages and hamlets inside it, so the figures for the Town of Nelson include them.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Town of Nelson

How old are most homes in the Town of Nelson?

72.7% of homes in the Town of Nelson, NY were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Do homes in the Town of Nelson need a lead paint disclosure?

A home built before 1978 does, before it is rented or sold, unless an exemption applies (42 U.S.C. § 4852d); between 61.9% and 72.7% of homes in the Town of Nelson were built before then.

Does a contractor need lead certification to work on older homes in the Town of Nelson?

Yes, when the job disturbs more than 6 square feet of paint in a room or 20 square feet outside, or replaces a window: the firm must be certified and a certified renovator must direct the work under the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E).

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Nelson town, Madison County, New York

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Nelson town, Madison County, New York (county subdivision:49770, in state:36 county:053).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0017PE, DP04_0017PM, DP04_0018PE, DP04_0018PM, DP04_0019PE, DP04_0019PM, DP04_0020PE, DP04_0020PM, DP04_0021PE, DP04_0021PM, DP04_0022PE, DP04_0022PM, DP04_0023PE, DP04_0023PM, DP04_0024PE, DP04_0024PM, DP04_0025PE, DP04_0025PM, DP04_0026PE, DP04_0026PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.