TheNevada Test Site and proposedYucca Mountain nuclear waste repository are in southwestern Nye County, and are the focus of a great deal of controversy. The federal government manages 92% of the county's land. A 1987 attempt to stop the nuclear waste site resulted in the creation ofBullfrog County, Nevada, which was dissolved two years later.
Nye County is one of 10 Nevada counties whereprostitution is legal. The county has noincorporated cities. The seat of government in Tonopah is 160 miles (260 km) from Pahrump, where about 86% of the county's population resides.
Nye County was established during theAmerican Civil War in 1864 and named after James W. Nye, the first governor of theNevada Territory and later aU.S. Senator after it was admitted as a state. The first county seat wasIone in 1864, followed byBelmont in 1867, and finally Tonopah in 1905.
The county's first boom came in the early 20th century, whenRhyolite andTonopah, as well asGoldfield in nearbyEsmeralda County, had gold- and silver-mining booms. In 1906, Goldfield had 30,000 residents, Tonopah nearly 10,000, and Rhyolite peaked at about 10,000. These cities were linked by theTonopah and Tidewater Railroad.[5]
After the boom died, Nye County withered. By 1910, the population had plummeted to about 7,500 before sinking to near 3,000 in the middle of the century.[6] With development at the military test site and increasing employment and resources, the population stabilized. After the 1990s, when Pahrump became abedroom community for Las Vegas, it had high rates of population growth.
Periodically, discussions have arisen of moving the county seat to Pahrump, or splitting off the southern portion of the county, but neither of these ideas appears to have sufficient support in the county or state government.[7]
From 1987 to 1989,Bullfrog County, Nevada, was split off from Nye County to form a separate political region. Its population was zero; its creation was an attempt to stop anuclear waste storage facility from being built in the region.[8]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 18,199 square miles (47,140 km2), of which 18,182 square miles (47,090 km2) is land and 17 square miles (44 km2) (0.09%) is water.[9] The highest and most topographically prominent mountain in the county isMount Jefferson at 11,949 feet (3,642 m).[10]
Nye County is in south-central Nevada. It is Nevada's largest county and the third-largest county in the contiguous United States, afterSan Bernardino County inCalifornia andCoconino County inArizona. Nye County's land area of 11,560,960 acres (46,785.5 km2) is larger than that ofMaryland,Hawaii,Vermont, andNew Hampshire, and larger than the combined area ofMassachusetts,Rhode Island,New Jersey, andDelaware. Of this vast land area, only 822,711 acres (3,329.39 km2), or just over 7%, is private land; most of it is public land managed by the federal government. Before the Treaty of Ruby Valley, the whole area was controlled by theWestern Shoshone people, who say they never ceded territory here. According to theUnited States Census Bureau the county's Census Tract 9805, with a land area of 4,225.415 square miles (10,943.77 km2), comprising theNevada Test Site and Nye County's portion of theNevada Test and Training Range, is the country's largestcensus tract that has no resident population (as of the2000 census).
Las Vegas, inClark County, is 100 miles (160 km) southeast of Yucca Mountain. Many Pahrump residents commute 60 miles (97 km) each way to Las Vegas viaNevada State Route 160, which for much of its length is a four-lane divided highway.
In 2018, Nye county launched its own transit service for the town of Pahrump named Pahrump Valley Public Transportation.[11][12] In 2023, Pahrump Valley Public Transportation launch demand response service to Beatty and Amargosa Valley[13]
For Senior Transportation/Paratransit transportation services is directly provided by Nye County Transportation Services department[14]
Nye County has a long stretch ofU.S. Route 95, the main road connecting Las Vegas with the state capital,Carson City. Beatty and Tonopah both rely heavily on through traffic to sustain their economies. As of 2006, an average of 2,000 cars daily traveled U.S. 95 near Tonopah.[15]
At the2010 census, there were 43,946 people, 18,032 households, and 11,929 families in the county.[20] The population density was 2.4 inhabitants per square mile (0.93 inhabitants/km2). There were 22,350 housing units at an average density of 1.2 units per square mile (0.46 units/km2).[21] Theracial makeup of the county was 85.9% white, 2.0% black or African American, 1.6% American Indian, 1.3% Asian, 0.5% Pacific islander, 5.2% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 13.6% of the population.[20] In terms of ancestry, 18.6% wereGerman, 15.8% wereEnglish, 14.7% wereIrish, 10.3% wereAmerican, and 6.1% wereItalian.[22]
Of the 18,032 households, 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.8% were non-families, and 26.8% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 48.4 years.[20]
The median household income was $41,181 and the median family income was $50,218. Males had a median income of $51,574 versus $32,152 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,687. About 14.2% of families and 18.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 27.8% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.[23]
At the2000 census there were 32,485 people, 13,309 households, and 9,063 families in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km2). There were 15,934 housing units at an average density of 1 units per square mile (0.39/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 90.0%White, 1.18%Black orAfrican American, 1.96%Native American, 0.78%Asian, 0.32%Pacific Islander, 2.98% from other races, and 3.15% from two or more races. 8.35%.[24] wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
In 2006 there were 42,693 people living in Nye County, representing a growth of 31.3% since 2000. This was slightly faster growth rate than recorded during the same period for Clark County, where Las Vegas is located.
Even as the Pahrump area grew thanks to its proximity to Las Vegas, the racial makeup of Nye County was very different from that of Clark County. Non-Hispanic whites now constitute 82.7% of the county population. African-Americans were now 1.7% of the population, which meant actual increase of the number of African Americans residing in the county was over 50%. Native Americans were only 1.8% of the population now. Asians were a full one percent of the population. Pacific Islanders were 0.5% of the population and Latinos made up 11.0% of the population.[25]
Of the 13,309 households 16.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.30% were married couples living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.90% were non-families. 25.70% of households were one person and 10.30% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.90.
The age distribution was 3.70% under the age of 18, 5.40% from 18 to 24, 24.00% from 25 to 44, 58.50% from 45 to 64, and 18.40% 65 or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 105.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.70 males.
The county's median household income was $36,024, and the median family income was $41,642. Males had a median income of $37,276 versus $22,394 for females. The county's per capita income was $17,962. About 7.30% of families and 10.70% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 13.10% of those under age 18 and 8.30% of those age 65 or over.
Like many rural counties of the western United States, Nye County experiences a relatively high suicide rate.[26] According to the Centers for Disease Control, the annual suicide rate in Nye County averaged 28.7561 per 100,000 people during 1989–1998, the most recent period for which data is available. This was the third-highest rate among Nevada counties, behindWhite Pine (34.3058) andLyon County (30.8917), but ahead of the overall rate of 22.96 for Nevada, which leads the nation.
Nye County was one of the primary broadcast locations of American veteran radio broadcasterArt Bell, who was famous for creating and hostingCoast to Coast AM,Art Bell's Dark Matter and "Midnight in the Desert", the last of which continued to be broadcast on the Dark Matter Digital Network by Bell's chosen successor,Dave Schrader. Bell lived in the county until his death on April 13, 2018.[34][35]
