The landlocked state of Nevada is situated toward the western edge of the United States. According to the latest estimates from the Census Bureau, the population of Nevada is 2,890,845.
It covers a vast area of 110,567 square miles which makes it the seventh largest state in the country in terms of sheer land mass. However, this vast territory is very sparsely filled with Nevada’s citizens and in fact, there are only eight states in the country that are less densely populated. Nevada currently has one of the strongest growth rates in the country, reflecting a 7.05% population between 2010 and 2015, which ranks 6th in the nation.
The last estimate for the population was provided by the US Census Bureau in July 2015. The last confirmed figures were taken during the 2010 Census. At that time, it was revealed that 2,700,551 people had made Nevada their home, representing an increase of over 35% from the numbers declared at the end of the 2000 survey.
Based on those figures, the Census Bureau provides a new population estimate each year. In 2012, it estimated that the population of Nevada had increased to 2,758,931.
A relatively small percentage of Nevada's population lives in rural areas, such as Ely, West Wendover and Tonopah. The culture of rural Nevada is vastly different than the metropolitan areas, as most people in rural counties are native to the state, whereas Reno and Las Vegas are dominated by populations from other states, especially California. Rural populations are also less diverse, both racially and ethnically.
The largest metropolitan areas, and where the majority of the population is concentrated, includes Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas in Clark County and Reno in Washoe County.
The most populated city in Nevada is Las Vegas, and the most populated county is Clark County with over 2 million residents.
The median age in Nevada is approximately 37.5 years of age. The ratio of females to males is approximately 49.8% females to 50.2% males.
In religious terms, 66% of the Nevada population is affiliated with a Christian based faith, 5% are affiliated with non-Christian based faiths, and 28% are not affiliated with any particular religion at all.
Nevada was acquired from Mexico in 1848 and included in Utah and New Mexico Territories. It was established as a territory in 1861 from Utah Territory, and was admitted as a State on October 31, 1864. Nevada acquired essentially its present boundaries after the annexation of the southern tip from Arizona Territory in 1866.
In 1850 present-day Nevada had no census coverage. The population for 1860 is for the enumerated portions of Utah Territory that were included in Nevada Territory the following year. In 1870 coverage included the entire State. The 1870 population includes Rio Virgin County, enumerated as part of Utah although located within Nevada.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Nevada was:
Hispanics and Latinos of any race make up approximately 28.1% of Nevada's population. The most common ancestries include: Mexican (20.8%), German (13.3%), Irish (10%), English (9.2%) and Italian (6.3%). Las Vegas in particular is a minority majority city with a fast-growing amount of ethnic communities, including Armenians, Spaniards, Greeks, Poles and Italians.
Asian Americans have had a significant population in Nevada since the California Gold Rush in the 1850s brought thousands of Chinese miners to Washoe County, who were followed by Japanese farm workers, then immigrants from China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, India and Vietnam. Las Vegas now has the U.S.'s most prolific Asian American communities. The city has remained a large destination for immigrants from Latin America and South Asia seeking jobs in hospitality and gaming industries, along with farming and construction.
Nevada also has the highest population of illegal immigrants of any state in the United States, accounting for an estimated 8.8% of the total population.
200K
400K
600K
800K
1M
1.2M
1.4M
1.6M
1.8M
2M
2.2M
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
White | 1,732,779 | 55.81% |
Two or more races | 395,499 | 12.74% |
Other race | 360,620 | 11.61% |
Black or African American | 290,223 | 9.35% |
Asian | 263,063 | 8.47% |
Native American | 40,745 | 1.31% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 21,884 | 0.7% |
White
Two or more races
Other race
Black or African American
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 1,163,670 | 2.64 | 58.4 | 41.6 |
Married | 514,327 | 3.31 | 73.6 | 26.4 |
Non Family | 421,057 | 1.32 | 46.7 | 53.3 |
Female | 150,470 | 3.59 | 43.6 | 56.4 |
Male | 77,817 | 3.48 | 50.6 | 49.4 |
3.25
Average Family Size
2.64
Average Household Size
58.4%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 161,380 | 7.49% |
Associates Degree | 186,225 | 8.64% |
Bachelors Degree | 371,761 | 17.26% |
Graduate Degree | 200,242 | 9.29% |
High School Graduate | 594,523 | 27.59% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 117,135 | 5.44% |
Some College | 523,221 | 24.29% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 1,129,240 | 1,062,390 | 357,510 |
Hispanic | 526,128 | 360,634 | 64,686 |
Other Race | 216,666 | 134,953 | 20,402 |
2+ Races | 211,565 | 171,880 | 42,029 |
Asian | 202,276 | 183,043 | 84,075 |
Black | 189,435 | 170,406 | 38,252 |
Native American | 27,533 | 21,080 | 3,369 |
Islander | 14,102 | 12,738 | 2,651 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 94.08%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 41.56%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $56,829 | $65,971 | $50,594 |
Graduate Degree | $76,920 | $91,329 | $68,419 |
High School Graduate | $37,646 | $42,327 | $33,077 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $33,455 | $37,118 | $27,983 |
Overall | $44,736 | $49,173 | $39,709 |
Some College | $44,153 | $50,674 | $38,048 |
$44,736
Average Earnings
$49,173
Average Male
$39,709
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
70.24% of Nevada residents speak only English, while 29.76% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 20.42% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Hispanic | 907,354 | 140,467 | 15.48% |
White | 1,421,750 | 137,738 | 9.69% |
Other | 356,748 | 60,826 | 17.05% |
Black | 282,471 | 58,890 | 20.85% |
Multiple | 390,089 | 51,679 | 13.25% |
Asian | 262,044 | 25,791 | 9.84% |
Native | 39,827 | 8,155 | 20.48% |
Islander | 21,531 | 2,880 | 13.38% |
12.71%
Overall Poverty Rate
11.48%
Male Poverty Rate
13.96%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Nevada is Black, with 20.85% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Nevada is White, with 9.69% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.59%. Among those working part-time, it was 14.13%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 21.11%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 19.53% |
High School | 13.21% |
Some College | 10.13% |
Bachelors or Greater | 5.93% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Female Unemployed | 26.57% |
Male Unemployed | 25.43% |
Female Employed | 6.72% |
Male Employed | 4.77% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $85,584 | $112,119 |
Households | $71,646 | $97,955 |
Married Families | $100,780 | $130,066 |
Non Families | $46,110 | $66,702 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
45.4%
Overall Marriage Rate
46.1%
Male Marriage Rate
44.7%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
203,118
Number of Veterans
181,145
Male Veterans
21,973
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Vietnam | 70,342 |
First Gulf War | 49,579 |
Second Gulf War | 49,303 |
Korea | 9,864 |
World War II | 2,668 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
65 to 74 | 50,859 |
35 to 54 | 49,678 |
75+ | 45,089 |
55 to 64 | 39,749 |
18 to 34 | 17,743 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 147,472 | 10.47% |
Hispanic | 21,927 | 3.47% |
Black | 20,964 | 9.71% |
2+ Races | 14,666 | 5.77% |
Asian | 9,869 | 4.48% |
Other Race | 6,498 | 2.53% |
Native American | 2,261 | 7.17% |
Islander | 1,388 | 8.57% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
8.19%
Veteran Poverty Rate
30.46%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
63.3%
Labor Force Participation
58.4%
Employment Rate
7%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
27.28%
Born in Nevada
80.92%
Native Born
19.08%
Foreign Born
9.03%
Non Citizen
10.04%
Naturalized
80.92% of Nevada residents were born in the United States, with 27.28% having been born in Nevada. 9.03% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.