Centrally located between the cities of Charlottesville
to the north, Lynchburg to the south, and Staunton
to the west, Nelson County is particularly supportive
of business activity that is compatible with its
rural character, such as tourism. Other business
facts:
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While the economy has traditionally centered
on agriculture and natural resource-based
industries, such as timber and quarrying,
the scenic surroundings have attracted recreational
development in recent years, most notably
the 10,800-acre Wintergreen Resort in northwest
Nelson County. |
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The
county is the site of DaimlerChrysler's annual
owner loyalty event, "Camp Jeep,"
attracting Jeep owners from across the country.
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Nelson
has two industrial/business parks; zoned "light
industrial," both are accessible by U.S.
29, a four-lane highway connecting the area
to Charlottesville and Washington, D.C. |
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In
close proximity to major markets: Approximately
30 miles from both Charlottesville and Lynchburg;
150 miles southwest of Washington, D.C.; 100
miles west of state capital Richmond; and
191 miles from port city Norfolk. |
• 2004 Population: 15,097
• Projected Population for 2010: 15,501
• Per Capita Personal Income: $ 20,806 (1999)
• Unemployment Rate: 2.9% (November 2001)
• Educational Attainment: 57.0% of population
25 years and older are high school graduates;
13.4% of population 25 years and older have earned
a bachelor's degree or higher (based on 1990 census).
While Wintergreen is Nelson's largest employer,
manufacturing companies are well represented in
the local economy. Leading local employers:
• American Fibers & Yarn (synthetic yarn),
50-99 employees
• California Sidecar Escapade Trailer (motorcycle
trailers), 20-49 employees
• Central Virginia Electric Cooperative,
Inc. (utility), 100-299 employees
• Wintergreen Resorts, Inc. (resort), 600-999
employees
Nelson County is served by an interstate, I-64
(24 miles north), and U.S. Routes 29 (north-south)
and 60 (east-west). Other modes of transport:
• Motor Carriers: 11 trucking firms serve
the area
• Commercial Air Service: Lynchburg Regional
Airport (36 miles), Charlottesville/Albemarle
Airport (43 miles)
• General Aviation Service: Lynchburg Regional
Airport, Charlottesville/Albemarle Airport
• Freight Rail Service: Norfolk Southern
Corporation
• Port: Richmond (100 miles), Norfolk (191
miles)
• Overnight Package Delivery: Federal Express,
UPS, Roadway Package Service, and U.S. Mail Express
serve this area.
• Electric: American Electric Power, Central
Virginia Electric Cooperative
• Natural Gas: N/A
• Telecommunications: Verizon Communications
(local service), Sprint United Telephone (local
service), nTelos (local service)
• Water: Lovingston, Schuyler, Wintergreen
• Waste Water Treatment: Lovingston, Schuyler
• Solid Waste Disposal: Nelson County Transfer
Station, BFI
• One Valley Bank-Central Virginia: $1.2
billion (1999 assets)
• F & M Bank-Central Virginia: $92.6
million (1999 assets)
• Wachovia Bank (headquartered outside Virginia)
• Nelson County has a County Administrator
and a four-member Board of Supervisors.
• The county has a comprehensive plan and
zoning and subdivision ordinances.
• Lovingston is the county seat; there are
no incorporated towns within the county.
• Local Real Estate Tax Rate: $0.72 per $100.00
of assessed value (click
here for more local tax info)
Nelson County Schools is involved in a number
of cooperative activities with both local and
regional organizations to supplement and enhance
its educational programs, including the Shenandoah
Valley Technology Consortium, which provides technology,
resources, and professional development opportunities
for teachers and administrators.
Public Schools
• 2 Elementary Schools with a Fall 2000 Enrollment
of 1,042
• 1 Middle School with a Fall 2000 Enrollment
of 294
• 1 High School with a Fall 2000 Enrollment
of 722
• Elementary Student-Teacher Ratio (1998-99):
13:1
• Secondary Student-Teacher Ratio (1998-99):
11:1
• Per-pupil expenditure (1999-00): $6,845
• Percentage of 1996-97 ninth-grade membership
graduating (1999-00): 76.1%
• Percentage of high school graduates continuing
education (1999-00): 69.2%
Vocational
Training
• Nelson County High School
• Nelson Middle School
Higher
Education
• University of Virginia: 19,643 (Fall 2003
enrollment)
• Piedmont Virginia Community College: 7,000
(Fall 2002 enrollment)
• Sweet Briar College: 749 (Fall 2000 enrollment)
Click
here to go to Nelson County's website.
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