County · code 38063
Nelson CountyNorth Dakota
Nelson County is a county in North Dakota with its seat in Lakota. It was formed in 1883.
- Founded1883
- County seatLakota
- Land area982 sq mi + 27 sq mi water
- Population3,015 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped5,445 checked 14 October 2026
Where it is
Nelson on the map of North Dakota
North Dakota has 53 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Founded in 1883
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Nelson County was established in 1883, when it gained territory from Ramsey County. It became a county in the state of North Dakota in 1889.
- 1883Gained territory Nelson gained from Ramsey. Nelson boundaries redefined (no change). · Dak. Terr. Laws 1883, 15th sess., chs. 12, 27/pp. 19, 40
- 1889Became part of North Dakota Nelson became a county in the state of North Dakota. · U.S. Stat., vol. 25, ch. 180[1889]/pp. 676-684 and vol. 26, no. 5/pp. 1548-1549; Swindler, 7:526-527; Van Zandt, 134
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Nelson
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 5,445 parcels from State of North Dakota GIS Hub (NDIT; State Parcel Program, counties as custodians). Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 12 October 2026 · checked 14 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 2,833 in all from State of North Dakota — NDGISHUB / ND Department of Emergency Services (owner NDGISHDP-DES).
edited 12 October 2026 · checked 13 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Nelson by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Nelson County's official site
We have found the county's site but not its offices yet; start there.
County government
- County government
The official website of Nelson County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Nelson County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Nelson County
- When was Nelson County founded?
- Nelson County was founded in 1883.
- What is the county seat of Nelson County?
- The county seat of Nelson County is Lakota.
- Is there an online parcel map for Nelson County?
- Yes. State of North Dakota GIS Hub (NDIT; State Parcel Program, counties as custodians) publishes a parcel map of 5,445 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Nelson County's boundary or name changed?
- Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 2 changes for Nelson County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 1 later change.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Nelson County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby