Nevada is officially known as the "Silver State" because of the importance of silver to its history and economy. It is also known as the "Battle Born State" because it achieved statehood during theCivil War (the words "Battle Born" also appear onits state flag); due to thepresidency ofAbraham Lincoln, the Union benefited immensely from the support of newly awarded statehood by the infusion of the monetary support of nearly $400 million in silver ore generated at the time by theComstock Lode.[9] It is also known as the "Sagebrush State", for the native plant of the same name; and as the "Sage-hen State".[10] The state's name means "snowy" in Spanish, referring to Nevada's extensive number ofmountain ranges capped with snow in winter, which help make Nevada among thehighest US states by mean altitude. These include theCarson Range portion of theSierra Nevada (and about 1/3 ofLake Tahoe by surface area), as well as theToiyabe Range,Ruby Mountains, andSpring Mountains (which exemplify thesky islands of theGreat Basin montane forests), in western, central, northeastern, and southern Nevada, respectively. Nevada is the driest U.S. state, both lying in therain shadow of the Sierra Nevada and receiving among the highestsolar irradiance of any U.S. state, and is thus largelydesert andsemi-arid. Nevada comprises the majority of theGreat Basin, as well as a large portion of theMojave Desert. In 2020, 80.1% of the state's land was managed by various jurisdictions of theU.S. federal government, both civilian and military.[11]
Native Americans of thePaiute,Shoshone, andWashoe tribes inhabit what is now Nevada. The first Europeans to explore the region were Spanish. They called the regionNevada (snowy) because of the snow which covered the mountains in winter, similar to theSierra Nevada in Spain. The area formed from mostlyAlta California and part ofNuevo México's territory within theViceroyalty of New Spain, which gained independence as Mexico in 1821. The United States annexed the area in 1848 after its victory in theMexican–American War, and it was incorporated as part of theNew Mexico andUtah Territory in 1850. The discovery of silver at theComstock Lode in 1859 led to a population boom that became an impetus to the creation ofNevada Territory out of western Utah Territory in 1861. Nevada became the 36th state on October 31, 1864, as the second of two states added to the Union during the Civil War (the first beingWest Virginia).[12]
Nevada is known for itslibertarian laws. In 1940, with apopulation of just over 110,000 people, Nevada was by far the least-populated state, with less than half the population of the next least-populous state,Wyoming.[13] However, legalizedgambling andlenient marriage and divorce laws transformed Nevada into a major tourist destination in the 20th century.[14][15] Nevada is the only U.S. state whereprostitution is legal, though it is illegal in its most populated regions – Clark County (Las Vegas),Washoe County (Reno) andCarson City (which, as an independent city, is not within the boundaries of any county). The tourism industry remains Nevada's largest employer,[16] with mining continuing as a substantial sector of the economy: Nevada is the fourth-largest producer of gold in the world.[17]
The name "Nevada" comes from the Spanish adjectivenevada ([neˈβaða]), meaning "snowy" or "snow-covered".[19] The state takes its name from theNevada Territory, which in turn was named for theSierra Nevada.[20]
Nevadans pronounce the second syllable with the "a" of "apple" (/nəˈvædə/). Despite this, some people from outside of the state pronounce it with the "a" of "palm" (/nəˈvɑːdə/).[21] Although thequality, but not thelength, of the latter pronunciation is closer to the Spanish pronunciation (Spanish/a/ isopen central[ä],[22] whereas American English/ɑː/ varies fromback[ɑː] to central[äː]),[23] it is not the pronunciation used by Nevadans. State AssemblymanHarry Mortenson proposed a bill to recognize the alternative pronunciation of Nevada,[24] though the bill was not supported by most legislators and never received a vote. The Nevadan pronunciation is the one used by the state legislature. At one time, the state's official tourism organization, TravelNevada, stylized the name of the state as "Nevăda", with abreve over thea indicating the locally preferred pronunciation,[25] which was also available as a license plate design until 2007.[26]
Jedediah Smith entered theLas Vegas Valley in 1827,Peter Skene Ogden traveled theHumboldt River in 1828, and in 1829 a merchant fromNuevo México namedAntonio Armijo streamlined travel along theOld Spanish Trail. ChroniclingArmijo's route his scoutRaphael Rivera was the first to name Las Vegas, in an 1830 report to governorJosé Antonio Chaves. Following the suggestions by Rivera of a spring, on the published expedition's map, located in the Las Vegas areaJohn C. Frémont set up camp inLas Vegas Springs in 1844. In 1847, Mormons established theState of Deseret, claiming all of Nevada within the Great Basin and the Colorado watershed. They built the first permanent settlement in what is now Nevada, calledMormon Station (now Genoa), in 1851. Additionally, in June 1855, William Bringhurst and 29 other Mormon missionaries built the first permanent structure, a 150-foot squareadobe fort, northeast of downtown Las Vegas, converging on the Spanish andMormon Roads. The fort remained underSalt Lake City's control until the winter of 1858–1859, and the route remained largely under the control of Salt Lake City andSanta Fe tradespersons.
On March 2, 1861, the Nevada Territory separated from the Utah Territory and adopted its current name, shortened fromThe Sierra Nevada (Spanish for "snow-covered mountain range"). The 1861 southern boundary is commemorated byNevada Historical Markers 57 and 58 in theLincoln andNye counties.
Map of the States of California and Nevada by SB Linton, 1876
Eight days before thepresidential election of 1864, Nevada became the 36th state in the Union, despite lacking the minimum 60,000 residents thatCongress typically required a potential state to have in order to become a state.[31] At the time, Nevada's population was little more than 40,000.[32] GovernorJames W. Nye was frustrated that previous attempts to send the constitution via overland mail and by sea had failed by October 24, so on October 26 the full text was sent by telegraph at a cost of $4,303.27[33][c] – the most costly telegraph on file at the time for a single dispatch, equivalent to $86,514.04 in 2024. Finally, the response from Washington came on October 31, 1864: "the pain is over, the child is born, Nevada this day was admitted into the Union". Statehood was rushed to the date of October 31 to help ensureAbraham Lincoln's reelection on November8 and post-Civil WarRepublican dominance in Congress,[34] as Nevada's mining-based economy tied it to the more industrializedUnion. As it turned out, however, Lincoln and the Republicans won the election handily and did not need Nevada's help.
Nevada is one of only two states to significantly expand its borders after admission to the Union, with the other beingMissouri, which acquired additional territory in 1837 due to thePlatte Purchase. In 1866, another part of the western Utah Territory was added to Nevada in the eastern part of the state, setting the current eastern boundary. Nevada achieved its current southern boundaries on January 18, 1867, when it absorbed the portion ofPah-Ute County in theArizona Territory west of the Colorado River, essentially all of present-day Nevada south of the37th parallel. The transfer was prompted by the discovery of gold in the area, and officials thought Nevada would be better able to oversee the expected population boom. This area includes all of what is nowClark County and the southern-most portions ofEsmeralda, Lincoln, and Nye counties.[35]
Bottle house in the mining ghost town ofRhyolite; built in 1906 with about 50,000 bottles[36]
Mining shaped Nevada's economy for many years (seeSilver mining in Nevada). WhenMark Twain lived in Nevada during the period described inRoughing It, mining had led to an industry of speculation and immense wealth. Both mining and population temporarily declined in the late 19th century. However, the rich silver strike atTonopah in 1900, followed by strikes inGoldfield andRhyolite, created a second mining boom in Nevada and Nevada's population.
Unregulatedgambling was commonplace in the early Nevada mining towns but was outlawed in 1909 as part of a nationwide anti-gambling crusade. Because of subsequent declines in mining output and the decline of the agricultural sector during theGreat Depression, Nevada again legalized gambling on March 19, 1931, with approval from the legislature. GovernorFred B. Balzar's signature enacted the most liberal divorce laws in the country and open gambling. The reforms came just eight days after the federal government presented the $49million construction contract for Boulder Dam (nowHoover Dam).[37]
TheNevada Test Site, 65 miles (105 km) northwest of the city of Las Vegas, was founded on January 11, 1951, for the testing ofnuclear weapons. The site consists of about 1,350 square miles (3,500 km2) of the desert and mountainous terrain.Nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site began with a 1 kiloton of TNT (4.2 TJ) nuclear bomb dropped onFrenchman Flat on January 27, 1951. The last atmospheric test was conducted on July 17, 1962, and the underground testing of weapons continued until September 23, 1992. The location is known for having the highest concentration of nuclear-detonated weapons in the U.S.
Over 80% of the state's area is owned by the federal government. This is mainly becausehomesteads were not permitted in large enough sizes to be viable in the arid conditions that prevail throughout desert Nevada. Instead, early settlers would homestead land surrounding a water source, and then graze livestock on the adjacent public land, which is useless for agriculture without access to water (this pattern ofranching still prevails).
TheCOVID-19 pandemic was confirmed in Nevada on March 5, 2020. Because of concerns aboutcoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Nevada governorSteve Sisolak declared astate of emergency on March 12, 2020. Four days later, Nevada reported its first death. On March 17, 2020, Sisolak ordered the closure of non-essential businesses in the state to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Several protests were held against Sisolak's shutdown order beginning in April 2020. Nevada launched the first phase of its reopening on May 9, 2020. Restaurants, retailers, outdoor malls, and hair salons were among the businesses allowed to reopen, but with precautions in place, such as limiting occupancy to 50 percent. A second phase went into effect on May 29, 2020. It allowed for the reopening ofstate parks and businesses such as bars, gyms, and movie theaters. Casinos began reopening on June 4, 2020.
Nevada is almost entirely within theBasin and Range Province and is broken up by many north–south mountain ranges. Most of these ranges haveendorheic valleys between them.
Much of the northern part of the state is within theGreat Basin, a mild desert that experiences hot temperatures in the summer and cold temperatures in the winter. Occasionally, moisture from theArizona Monsoon will cause summer thunderstorms; Pacific storms may blanket the area with snow. The state's highest recorded temperature was 125 °F (52 °C) inLaughlin (elevation of 605 feet or 184 meters) on June 29, 1994.[38] The coldest recorded temperature was −52 °F (−47 °C) set in San Jacinto in 1972, in the northeastern portion of the state.[38]
TheHumboldt River crosses the state from east to west across the northern part of the state, draining into theHumboldt Sink nearLovelock. Several rivers drain from the Sierra Nevada eastward, including theWalker,Truckee, andCarson rivers. All of these rivers areendorheic basins, ending inWalker Lake,Pyramid Lake, and theCarson Sink, respectively. However, not all of Nevada is within the Great Basin. Tributaries of theSnake River drain the far north, while theColorado River, which also forms much of the boundary withArizona, drains much of southern Nevada.
The mountain ranges, some of which have peaks above 13,000 feet (4,000 m), harbor lush forests high above desert plains, creatingsky islands for endemic species. The valleys are often no lower in elevation than 3,000 feet (910 m), while some in central Nevada are above 6,000 feet (1,800 m).
The southern third of the state, where the Las Vegas area is situated, is within theMojave Desert. The area receives less rain in the winter but is closer to the Arizona Monsoon in the summer. The terrain is also lower, mostly below 4,000 feet (1,200 m), creating conditions for hot summer days and cool to chilly winter nights.
Nevada and California have by far the longest diagonalline (in respect to the cardinal directions) as a stateboundary at just over 400 miles (640 km). This line begins inLake Tahoe nearly 4 miles (6.4 km) offshore (in the direction of the boundary), and continues to theColorado River where the Nevada, California, and Arizona boundaries merge 12 miles (19 km) southwest of the Laughlin Bridge.
The largest mountain range in the southern portion of the state is theSpring Mountain Range, just west of Las Vegas. The state's lowest point is along the Colorado River, south of Laughlin.
Nevada has 172 mountain summits with 2,000 feet (610 m) of prominence. Nevada ranks second, after Alaska, for the greatest number of mountains in the United States, followed by California, Montana, and Washington.[39]
Nevada is the driest state in the United States.[40] It is made up of mostly desert and semi-arid climate regions, and, with the exception of theLas Vegas Valley, the average summerdiurnal temperature range approaches 40 °F (22 °C) in much of the state. While winters in northern Nevada are long and fairly cold, the winter season in the southern part of the state tends to be of short duration and mild. Most parts of Nevada receive scarce precipitation during the year. The most rain that falls in the state falls on the east and northeast slopes of theSierra Nevada.
The average annual rainfall per year is about 7 inches (180 mm); the wettest parts get around 40 inches (1,000 mm). Nevada's highest recorded temperature is 125 °F (52 °C) atLaughlin on June 29, 1994, and the lowest recorded temperature is −50 °F (−46 °C) atSan Jacinto on January 8, 1937. Nevada's 125 °F (52 °C) reading is the third highest statewide record high temperature of a U.S. state, just behind Arizona's 128 °F (53 °C) reading and California's 134 °F (57 °C) reading.
Average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for selected cities in Nevada[41]
Nevada is divided into political jurisdictions designated ascounties. Carson City is officially a consolidated municipality, meaning it legally functions as both a city and a county. As of 1919, there were 17 counties in the state, ranging from 146 to 18,159 square miles (380 to 47,030 km2).
Lake County, one of the original nine counties formed in 1861, was renamedRoop County in 1862. Part of the county becameLassen County, California, in 1864, resolving border uncertainty. In 1883, Washoe County annexed the portion that remained in Nevada.[43]
In 1969, Ormsby County was dissolved and theConsolidated Municipality of Carson City was created by the Legislature in its place coterminous with the old boundaries of Ormsby County.
Bullfrog County was formed in 1987 from part of Nye County. After the creation was declared unconstitutional, the county was abolished in 1989.[43]
Humboldt County was designated as a county in 1856 byUtah Territorial Legislature and again in 1861 by the new Nevada Legislature.
Clark County is the most populous county in Nevada, accounting for nearly three-quarters of its residents. Las Vegas, Nevada's most populous city, has been thecounty seat since the county was created in 1909 from a portion ofLincoln County, Nevada. Before that, it was a part of Arizona Territory. Clark County attracts numerous tourists: An estimated 44million people visited Clark County in 2014.[44]
Washoe County is the second-most populous county of Nevada. Its county seat isReno. Washoe County includes theReno–Sparks metropolitan area.
Lyon County is the third most populous county. It was one of the nine original counties created in 1861. It was named afterNathaniel Lyon, the first Union General to be killed in theCivil War. Its current county seat isYerington. Its first county seat was established atDayton on November 29, 1861.[45]
TheUnited States Census Bureau determined Nevada had a population of 3,104,614 at the2020 U.S. census. In 2022, the estimated population of Nevada was 3,177,772, an increase of 73,158 residents (2.36%) since the 2020census.[51] Nevada had the highest percentage growth in population from 2017 to 2018. At the 2020 census, 6.0% of the state's population were reported as under 5, 22.5% were under 18, and 16.1% were 65 or older. Females made up about 49.8% of the population. 19.1% of the population was reported as foreign-born.
Since the 2020 census, the population of Nevada had a natural increase of 2,374 (the net difference between 42,076 births and 39,702 deaths); and an increase due to net migration of 36,605 (of which 34,280 was due to domestic and 2,325 was due to international migration).[52]
Thecenter of population of Nevada is in southernNye County.[53] In this county, the unincorporated town ofPahrump, 60 miles (97 km) west of Las Vegas on the California state line, has grown very rapidly from 1980 to 2020. At the 2020 census, the town had 44,738 residents.[54] Las Vegas grew from a gulch of 100 people in 1900 to 10,000 by 1950 to 100,000 by 1970, and was America's fastest-growing city and metropolitan area from 1960 to 2000.
From about the 1940s until 2003, Nevada was the fastest-growing state in the U.S. percentage-wise. Between 1990 and 2000, Nevada's population increased by 66%, while the nation's population increased by 13%. More than two-thirds of the population live in Clark County, which is coextensive with theLas Vegas metropolitan area. Thus, in terms of population, Nevada is one of the most centralized states in the nation.
Henderson andNorth Las Vegas are among the top 20 fastest-growing U.S. cities with populations over 100,000. The rural community ofMesquite 65 miles (105 km) northeast of Las Vegas was an example of micropolitan growth in the 1990s and 2000s. Other desert towns likeIndian Springs andSearchlight on the outskirts of Las Vegas have seen some growth as well.
Since 1950, the rate of population born in Nevada has never peaked above 27 percent, the lowest rate of all states. In 2012, only 25% of Nevadans were born in Nevada.[55]
Nevada – Racial and Ethnic Composition (NH = Non-Hispanic) Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of 2011, 63.6% of Nevada's population younger than age1 were minorities.[69] Las Vegas is amajority-minority city. According to the United States Census Bureau estimates, as of July 1, 2018, non-Hispanic Whites made up 48.7% of Nevada's population.[70]
Asian Americans have lived in the state since at least the 1850s, when theCalifornia gold rush brought thousands of Chinese miners to Washoe County. They were followed by a few hundredJapanese farmworkers in the late 19th century. By the late 20th century, many immigrants from China, Japan, Korea, thePhilippines,Bangladesh, India, andVietnam came to the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The city now has a significant Asian American community, with a mostly Chinese andTaiwanese area known as "Chinatown" west of I-15 on Spring Mountain Road.Filipino Americans form the largest Asian American group in the state, with a population of more than 202,000. They comprise 59.8% of the Asian American population in Nevada and constitute about 6.4% of the entire state's population.[71]
Mining booms drew many Greek and Eastern European immigrants to Nevada.[72] In the early twentieth century,Greeks,Slavs,Danes,Japanese,Italians, andBasques poured into Nevada.[73]Chileans were found in the state as early as 1870.[74] During the mid-1800s, a significant number of European immigrants, mainly fromIreland,England andGermany, arrived in the state with the intention of capitalizing on the thriving mining sector in the region.[75]
Whites remain the largest racial or ethnic group in Nevada.[77] Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnic group in Nevada.[78] There is a growing Mexican and Central American population in Nevada. Many of Nevada's Latino immigrants are from Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador.[79] Nevada also has a growing multiracial population.[80]
The top countries of origin for immigrants in Nevada wereMexico (39.5 percent of immigrants), thePhilippines (14.3 percent),El Salvador (5.2 percent),China (3.1 percent), andCuba (3 percent).[81]
The majority of people in Nevada are of white (European) ancestry. A small portion trace their ancestry to Basque people recruited as sheepherders. Hispanics in Nevada are mainly of Mexican and Cuban heritage. Latinos comprise about one-fourth of Nevada's residents and are concentrated in the southeast in Nevada. African Americans live mainly in the Las Vegas and Reno area and constitute less than one-tenth of the population. Native Americans of the Paiute, Shoshone, and Washoe tribes live on several reservations in the state and make up a small fraction of Nevada's population.[82]
The most common ancestries in Nevada include Mexican, German, Irish, English, Italian and Asian.[83]
Nevada is the third most diverse state in the country, behind only Hawaii and California.[84][85]
Birth data
Note: Births within the table do not add up, due to Hispanics being counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number.
Since 2016, data for births ofWhite Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in oneHispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
A small percentage of Nevada's population lives in rural areas. The culture of these places differs significantly from major metropolitan areas. People in these rural counties tend to be native Nevada residents, unlike in the Las Vegas and Reno areas, where the vast majority of the population was born in another state. The rural population is also less diverse in terms of race and ethnicity. Mining plays an important role in the economies of the rural counties, with tourism being less prominent.[97] Ranching also has a long tradition in rural Nevada.[98]
Church attendance in Nevada is among the lowest of all U.S. states. In a 2009Gallup poll only 30% of Nevadans said they attended church weekly or almost weekly, compared to 42% of all Americans (only four states were found to have a lower attendance rate than Nevada's).[100] In 2020, the Public Religion Research Institute determined 67% of the population were Christian,[101] reflecting a 1% increase in religiosity from 2014's separate Pew study.[102]
The economy of Nevada is tied to tourism (especially entertainment and gambling related), mining, and cattle ranching. Nevada's industrial outputs are tourism, entertainment, mining, machinery, printing and publishing, food processing, and electric equipment. The Bureau of Economic Analysis[110][111] estimates Nevada's total state product in 2018 was $170billion.[112] The state'sper capita personal income in 2020 was $53,635, ranking 31st in the nation.[113] Nevada's state debt in 2012 was calculated to be $7.5billion, or $3,100 per taxpayer.[114] As of May 2021, the state's unemployment rate was 7.8%.[115]
In portions of the state outside of the Las Vegas and Reno metropolitan areas mining plays a major economic role. By value, gold is by far the most important mineral mined. In 2022, 4,040,000 troy ounces (126 t) of gold worth $7.3billion were mined in Nevada, and the state accounted for 4% of world gold production. Other minerals mined in Nevada include construction aggregates, copper, gypsum, diatomite and lithium.[116][117] Despite its rich deposits, the cost of mining in Nevada is generally high, and output is very sensitive to world commodity prices.
Cattle ranching is a major economic activity in rural Nevada.[118] Nevada's agricultural outputs are cattle, hay, alfalfa, dairy products, onions, and potatoes. In 2020, there were an estimated 438,511 head of cattle and 71,699 head of sheep in Nevada.[119] Most of these animals forage onrangeland in the summer, with supplemental feed in the winter. Calves are generally shipped to out-of-statefeedlots in the fall to be fattened for the market. Over 90% of Nevada's 653,891 acres (264,620 ha) of cropland is used to growhay, mostly alfalfa, for livestock feed.[119]
This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(August 2025)
The largest employers in the state, as of the first fiscal quarter of 2011, are the following, according to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation:[120]
Interstate 15 (I-15) passes through the southern tip of the state, serving Las Vegas and other communities.I-215 andI-515 also serve the Las Vegas metropolitan area.I-80 crosses through the northern part of Nevada, roughly following the path of the Humboldt River from Utah in the east and the Truckee River westward through Reno into California. It has a spur route,I-580. Nevada also is served by several U.S. highways:US6,US50,US93,US95 andUS395. There are also 189Nevada state routes. Many of Nevada's counties have a system of county routes as well, though many are not signed or paved in rural areas. Nevada is one of a few states in the U.S. that do not have a continuousinterstate highway linking its two major population centers – the road connection between the Las Vegas and Reno areas is a combination of several different Interstate and U.S. highways. TheInterstate 11 proposed routing may eventually remedy this.[121]
The state is one of just a few in the country to allowsemi-trailer trucks with three trailers – what might be called a "road train" in Australia. But American versions are usually smaller, in part because they must ascend and descend some fairly steep mountain passes.
RTC Transit is the public transit system in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The agency is the largest transit agency in the state and operates a network of bus service across theLas Vegas Valley, including the use ofThe Deuce,double-decker buses, on theLas Vegas Strip and several outlying routes. RTC RIDE operates a system of local transit bus service throughout the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area. Other transit systems in the state include Carson City's JAC. Most other counties in the state do not have public transportation at all.
Additionally, a 4-mile (6.4 km)monorail system provides public transportation in the Las Vegas area. TheLas Vegas Monorail line services several casino properties and theLas Vegas Convention Center on the east side of the Las Vegas Strip, running near Paradise Road, with a possible future extension toHarry Reid International Airport. Several hotels also run their own monorail lines between each other, which are typically several blocks in length.
Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas is the busiest airport serving Nevada. TheReno-Tahoe International Airport (formerly known as the Reno Cannon International Airport) is the other major airport in the state.
Nevada has had a thrivingsolar energy sector. An independent study in 2013 concluded that solar users created a $36million net benefit. However, in December 2015, the Public Utility Commission let the state's only power company,NV Energy, charge higher rates and fees to solar panel users, leading to an immediate collapse of rooftop solar panel use.[122]
In 2018, theNational Low Income Housing Coalition calculated the discrepancy between available affordable housing units and renters who earn below the poverty line. In Nevada, only 15 affordable rental homes are available per 100 extremely low income (ELI) households.[124] The shortage extended to a deficit in supply of 71,358 affordable rental homes. This was the largest discrepancy of any state. The most notable catalyst for this shortage was theGreat Recession and housing crisis of 2007 and 2008. Since then, housing prices have increased while demand has increased, and supply has struggled to match the increase in demand. In addition, low-income service workers were slowly being pushed out by an influx of tech professionals. In Nevada there is essentially a standard of six-figure income to affordably rent asingle-family home.[125] Considering theaverage salary in Nevada, $54,842 per year, this standard is on average, unaffordable.[126] The disproportionate cost of housing compared to average salary has led to 112,872 renters to be paying more than half of their yearly income towards housing.[127]
The definition of an affordable home is "one that a household can obtain for30 percent or less of its annual income". So, there is clearly a long way to go in order to close the gap between housing prices and relative income in the state. Renters are looking for solutions to still be able to live in the state in a way that their income can support. As a result, single adults are being forced to split rent with other renters or move residences to farther outside metro areas. One solution being offered is to increase the supply of higher income positions within the state to make things more affordable. However, this would require Nevadans to retrain in new jobs or careers.
Education in Nevada is achieved through public and privateelementary,middle, andhigh schools, as well as colleges and universities.
A May 2015 educational reform law expanded school choice options to 450,000 Nevada students who are at up to 185% of thefederal poverty level. Education savings accounts (ESAs) are enabled by the new law to help pay the tuition for private schools. Alternatively, families "can use funds in these accounts to also pay for textbooks and tutoring".[128][129]
Approximately 86.9% of Nevada residents have attained at least a high school degree or equivalent, which is below the national average of 88.6%.[130]
The Nevada Legislature is abicameral body divided into an Assembly and Senate. Members of the Assembly serve two years, and members of the Senate serve four years. Both houses of the Nevada Legislature enacted term limits starting in 2010, with senators and assemblymen/women who are limited to a maximum of twelve years in each body (by appointment or election which is a lifetime limit) – a provision of the constitution which was upheld by the Supreme Court of Nevada in a unanimous decision. Each session of the legislature meets for a constitutionally mandated 120 days in every odd-numbered year, or longer if the governor calls a special session.
On December 18, 2018, Nevada became the first in the United States with a female majority in its legislature. Women hold nine of the 21 seats in the Nevada Senate, and 23 of the 42 seats in the Nevada Assembly.[135]
The Supreme Court of Nevada is thestate supreme court and the head of theNevada Judiciary. Original jurisdiction is divided between thedistrict courts (with general jurisdiction), and justice courts and municipal courts (both of limited jurisdiction). Appeals from District Courts are made directly to the Nevada Supreme Court, which under a deflective model of jurisdiction, has the discretion to send cases to theCourt of Appeals for final resolution.[136]
Incorporated towns in Nevada, known as cities, are given the authority to legislate anything not prohibited by law. A recent movement has begun to permithome rule to incorporate Nevada cities to give them more flexibility and fewer restrictions from the Legislature. Town Boards forunincorporated towns are limited local governments created by either the local county commission, or by referendum, and form a purely advisory role and in no way diminish the responsibilities of the county commission that creates them.
In 1900, Nevada's population was the smallest of all states and was shrinking, as the difficulties of living in a "barren desert" began to outweigh the lure of silver for many early settlers. HistorianLawrence Friedman has explained what happened next:
Nevada, in a burst of ingenuity, built an economy by exploiting its sovereignty. Its strategy was to legalize all sorts of things that were illegal in California... after the easy divorce came easy marriage andcasino gaming. Even prostitution is legal in Nevada, in any county that decides to allow it. Quite a few of them do.[137]
With the advent ofair conditioning for summertime use and Southern Nevada's mild winters, the fortunes of the state began to turn around, as it did forArizona, making these two states the fastest growing in the Union.
Nevada is the only state whereprostitution is legal – in a licensedbrothel in a county which has specifically voted to permit it. It is illegal in larger jurisdictions such as Clark County (which contains Las Vegas),Washoe County (which contains Reno), and the independent city ofCarson City.
Nevada's early reputation as a "divorce haven" arose from the fact that before theno-fault divorce revolution in the 1970s, divorces were difficult to obtain in the United States. Already having legalized gambling and prostitution, Nevada continued the trend of boosting its profile by adopting one of the most liberal divorce statutes in the nation. This resulted inWilliams v. North Carolina (1942),317U.S.287 (1942), in which theU.S. Supreme Court ruledNorth Carolina had to give "full faith and credit" to a Nevada divorce. The Court modified its decision inWilliams v. North Carolina (1945),325U.S.226 (1945), by holding a state need not recognize a Nevada divorce unless one of the parties was domiciled there at the time the divorce was granted and the forum state was entitled to make its own determination.
As of 2009, Nevada's divorce rate was above the national average.[138]
Nevada's tax laws are intended to draw new residents and businesses to the state. Nevada has nopersonal income tax orcorporate income tax.[139] Since Nevada does not collect income data it cannot share such information with the federal government, theIRS.[140]
The statesales tax (similar to VAT or GST) in Nevada is variable depending upon the county. The statewide tax rate is 6.85%, with five counties (Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, and Mineral) charging this amount. Counties may impose additional rates via voter approval or through approval of the state legislature; therefore, the applicable sales tax varies by county from 6.85% to 8.375% (Clark County). Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, imposes four separate countyoption taxes in addition to the statewide rate: 0.25% for flood control, 0.50% for mass transit, 0.25% for infrastructure, and 0.25% for more law enforcement. In Washoe County, which includes Reno, the sales tax rate is 7.725%, due to county option rates for flood control, the ReTRAC train trench project, and mass transit, and an additional county rate approved under the Local Government Tax Act of 1991.[141] The minimum Nevada sales tax rate changed on July 1, 2009.[142]
The lodging tax rate in unincorporated Clark County, which includes the Las Vegas Strip, is 12%. Within the boundaries of the cities of Las Vegas and Henderson, the lodging tax rate is 13%.
Corporations such asApple Inc. allegedly have set up investment companies and funds in Nevada to avoid paying taxes.[143]
In 2009, theNevada Legislature passed a bill creating a domestic partnership registry which enables same-sex couples to enjoy the same rights as married couples. Due to the landmark decision in the case ofObergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644 (2015), same-sex marriage was outright legalized in the state.
Nevada provides a friendly environment for the formation of corporations, and many (especially California) businesses have incorporated in Nevada to take advantage of the benefits of the Nevada statute.Nevada corporations offer great flexibility to the board of directors and simplify or avoid many of the rules that are cumbersome to business managers in some other states. In addition, Nevada has nofranchise tax, although it does require businesses to have a license for which the business has to pay the state.
Similarly, many U.S. states haveusury laws limiting the amount ofinterest a lender can charge, but federal law allows corporations to "import" these laws from their home state. Nevada has no cap on interest rates that may be agreed to in contracts.[144]
Nevada has very liberalalcohol laws. Bars are permitted to remain open 24hours, with no "last call".Liquor stores,convenience stores and supermarkets may also sell alcohol 24hours per day and may sell beer, wine and spirits.
In 2016, Nevada voters approvedQuestion2, which legalized the possession, transportation and cultivation of personal use amounts ofmarijuana for adults age 21 years and older, and authorized the creation of a regulated market for the sale of marijuana to adults age 21 years and older through state-licensed retail outlets.[145] Nevada voters had previously approvedmedical marijuana in 2000, but rejected marijuana legalization in a similar referendum in 2006. Marijuana in all forms remains illegal under federal law.
Aside from cannabis legalization, non-alcohol drug laws are a notable exception to Nevada's otherwise libertarian principles. It is notable for having the harshest penalties for drug offenders in the country. Nevada remains the only state to still usemandatory minimum sentencing guidelines for possession of drugs.[146]
TheSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported, in their Behavioral Health Barometer for Nevada, published in 2014, changes to substance abuse patterns and addiction across the southwestern state.[147] Between 2012 and 2013, adolescents in Nevada abused illicit substances at a slightly higher percentage than nationally. 10.2 percent of Nevada's adolescents abused illicit drugs compared to 9.2 percent across the United States. Between 2009 and 2013, 11.7 percent of all adolescents in the state reported abusing illicit, intoxicating substances in the month prior to the survey; this represents 25,000 adolescents.
Nevada voters enacted a smoking ban ("The Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act") in November 2006 which became effective on December 8, 2006. It outlaws smoking in most workplaces and public places. Smoking is permitted in bars, but only if the bar serves no food, or the bar is inside a larger casino. Smoking is also permitted in casinos, certain hotel rooms, tobacco shops, and brothels.[148] However, some businesses do not obey this law and the government tends not to enforce it.[149] In 2011, smoking restrictions in Nevada were relaxed for certain places which allow only people 21 or older inside.[150]
In 2006, thecrime rate in Nevada was about 24% higher than the national average rate, though crime has since decreased.Property crimes accounted for about 85% of the total crime rate in Nevada, which was 21% higher than the national rate. The remaining 20.3% wereviolent crimes.[151] A complete listing of crime data in the state for 2013 can be found here:[152]
Party Registration by County in Nevada (February 2025):
Republican ≥ 30%
Republican ≥ 40%
Republican ≥ 50%
Republican ≥ 60%
Unaffiliated ≥ 30%
Due to heavy growth in the southern portion of the state, there is a noticeable divide between the politics of northern and southern Nevada. Historically, northern Nevada has been veryRepublican. The more rural counties of the north are among the most conservative regions of the state. Carson City, the state's capital, is a Republican-leaning swing city/county. Washoe County, home to Reno, has historically been strongly Republican, but now has become a fairly balanced swing county, like the state as a whole. Clark County, home to Las Vegas, has been a stronghold for the Democratic Party since it was founded in 1909, having voted Republican only six times and once for a third-party candidate, although in recent times becoming more competitive, most notably in the 2024 Presidential Election where the Democratic Party's margin of victory was only 2.63 percentage points to Republicans.[154] Clark and Washoe counties have long dominated the state's politics. Between them, they cast 87% of Nevada's vote, and elect a substantial majority of the state legislature. The last Republican to carry Clark County wasGeorge H. W. Bush in 1988, and the last Republican to carry Washoe County wasGeorge W. Bush in 2004. The great majority of the state's elected officials are from either Las Vegas or Reno.[155] Donald Trump was able to carry Nevada with a statewide majority in 2024, despite losing both Clark and Washoe.
In 2014, RepublicanAdam Laxalt, despite losing both Clark and Washoe counties, was electedAttorney General. However, he had lost Clark County only by 5.6% and Washoe County by 1.4%, attributable to lower turnout in these counties.[156]
Nevada has been won by the winner of nearly every presidential election since its first in 1864, only being carried by the defeated candidate eight times since statehood, most of which were before 1900. Since 1912 Nevada has been carried by the presidential victor the most out of any state (27 of 29 elections), the only exceptions being1976 when it voted forGerald Ford overJimmy Carter and2016 when the state was carried byHillary Clinton overDonald Trump. This gives the state status as a politicalbellwether. It was one of only three states won byJohn F. Kennedy inthe American West in the election of1960, albeit narrowly.[157]The state's U.S. Senators are DemocratsCatherine Cortez Masto andJacky Rosen. The Governorship is held byJoe Lombardo, a Republican.
Nevada is the only U.S. state to have anone of the above option available on its ballots. Officially calledNone of These Candidates, the option was first added to the ballot in 1975 and is used in all statewide elections, including president, US Senate and all state constitutional positions. In the event "None of These Candidates" receives aplurality of votes in the election, the candidate with the next-highest total is elected.[158]
In a 2020 study, Nevada was ranked as the 23rd on the "Cost of Voting Index", which is a measure of "the ease of voting across the United States."[159]
Resort areas like Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe, andLaughlin attract visitors from around the nation and world. In fiscal year 2022 Nevada casinos (not counting those with annual revenue under a million dollars) brought inUS$10.7billion in gaming revenue and anotherUS$15.7billion in non-gaming revenue.[160]
Nevada has by far the most hotel rooms per capita in the United States. According to the American Hotel and Lodging Association, there were 187,301 rooms in 584 hotels (of 15 or more rooms). The state is ranked just below California, Texas, Florida, and New York in the total number of rooms, but those states have much larger populations. Nevada has one hotel room for every 14 residents, far above the national average of one hotel room per 67 residents.[161]
Prostitution is legal in parts of Nevada in licensed brothels, but only counties with populations under 400,000 have the option to legalize it. Although prostitution is not a major part of the Nevada economy, employing roughly 300 women as independent contractors, it is a very visible endeavor. Of the 14 counties permitted to legalize prostitution under state law, eight have chosen to legalize brothels. State law prohibits prostitution in Clark County (which contains Las Vegas), and Washoe County (which contains Reno). However, prostitution is legal in Storey County, which is part of theReno–Sparks metropolitan area.
Nevada takes pride in college sports, most notably its college football. College teams in the state include theNevada Wolf Pack (representing the University of Nevada, Reno) and theUNLV Rebels (representing the University of Nevada, Las Vegas), both in theMountain West Conference (MW).
UNLV is most remembered forits men's basketball program, which experienced its height of supremacy in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Coached byJerry Tarkanian, the Runnin' Rebels became one of the most elite programs in the country. In 1990,UNLV won the Men's DivisionI Championship by defeatingDuke 103–73, which set tournament records for most points scored by a team and largest margin of victory in the national title game.
In1991, UNLV finished the regular season undefeated, a feat that would not be matched in DivisionI men's basketball formore than 20 years. ForwardLarry Johnson won several awards, including theNaismith Award. UNLV reached the Final Four yet again, but lost their national semifinal againstDuke 79–77. The Runnin' Rebels were theAssociated Press pre-season No.1 back to back (1989–90, 1990–91).North Carolina is the only other team to accomplish that (2007–08, 2008–09).
The state's involvement in major-college sports is not limited to its local schools. In the 21st century, the Las Vegas area has become a significant regional center for college basketball conference tournaments. The MW,West Coast Conference, andWestern Athletic Conference all hold their men's and women's tournaments in the area, and the Pac-12 holds its men's tournament there as well. TheBig Sky Conference, after decades of holding its men's and women's conference tournaments at campus sites, began holding both tournaments in Reno in 2016.
Along with significant rises in popularity inmixed martial arts (MMA), a number of fight leagues such as theUFC have taken interest in Las Vegas as a primary event location due to the number of suitable host venues. TheMandalay Bay Events Center andMGM Grand Garden Arena are among some of the more popular venues for fighting events such as MMA and have hosted several UFC and other MMA title fights. The city has held the most UFC events with 86 events.
^The distinction of highest point in Nevada goes to the summit of Boundary Peak, so named because it is very near the Nevada–California border, at the northern terminus of the White Mountains. However, Boundary Peak can be considered a subsidiary summit of Montgomery Peak, whose summit is in California, since thetopographic prominence of Boundary Peak is only 253 feet (77 m), which falls under the often used 300-foot (91 m) cutoff for an independent peak. Also, Boundary Peak is less than 1 mile (1.6 km) away from its higher neighbor. Hence Boundary Peak can be described as not being wholly within Nevada. By contrast, the prominence of Wheeler Peak, 13,063 feet (3,982 m), is quite large and in fact it is the twelfth largest in the contiguous United States. Wheeler Peak is the highest point in a radius of more than 200 square miles (520 km2) and is entirely within the state of Nevada.
^The National Archives press release states that the cost was $4,313.27, but the amount $4,303.27 is actually written on the document.
^Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin are not distinguished between total and partial ancestry.
^Bill Bible (August 11, 2000)."Protect gaming's legacy".Las Vegas Sun. Where I Stand (opinion). Archived fromthe original on July 12, 2017. RetrievedMarch 17, 2023.
^Coffin, Laura A. (9 March 2012).The Bottle Houses of the Old West (archive).New Bedford Museum of Glass. Retrieved 13 February 2024. "In 1906, at the age of 76...[Tom Kelly] laid all the bottles on their sides, with the bottoms facing out, and mortared them together with adobe mud."
^"Nevada Economy at a Glance".U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. United States Department of Labor.Archived from the original on July 13, 2021. RetrievedJuly 13, 2021.
"Nevada State Databases". ALA. Archived fromthe original on January 6, 2014. RetrievedMay 11, 2008. Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Nevada state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association.
.png)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_at_the_Bruneau_River%2c_about_38.6_miles_north_of_Deeth_in_Elko_County%2c_Nevada.jpg)
.svg)
.jpg)
