Economic Development
Elko County Quality of Life
Public Safety
| Population | Elko County Crime Rate | Western States Crime Rate* | National Crime Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 52,097 | 19.48 | N/A | N/A |
| 2009 | 48,339 | 25.22 | 34.07 | 34.86 |
| 2008 | 48,339 | 22.53 | 36.71 | 36.87 |
| 2007 | 48,339 | 20.69 | 38.34 | 37.57 |
| 2006 | 48,339 | 24.02 | 39.98 | 38.35 |
Source: State of Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety. Crime rate based on the occurrence of an index offense per 1,000 residents of the area. *Western States consist of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
Climate
Monthly Temperature (F)
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28.1 | 25.9 | 28.0 | 27.3 |
| February | 32.1 | 32.3 | 31.4 | 31.9 |
| March | 37.9 | 37.2 | 39.3 | 38.1 |
| April | 44.2 | 42.8 | 41.2 | 42.7 |
| May | 57.2 | 46.8 | 49.1 | 51.0 |
| June | 61.7 | 62.6 | 60.0 | 61.4 |
| July | 71.6 | 71.7 | 71.8 | 71.7 |
| August | 67.5 | 67.7 | 71.2 | 68.8 |
| September | 63.7 | 60.5 | 62.7 | 62.3 |
| October | 43.6 | 50.4 | 48.9 | 47.6 |
| November | 34.6 | 32.6 | 33.6 | 33.6 |
| December | 16.0 | 30.3 | 25.3 | 23.9 |
| Average | 46.5 | 46.7 | 46.9 | 46.7 |
Monthly Snowfall (inches)
| 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| August | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| September | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| October | 0.00 | 1.70 | 0.10 | 0.60 |
| November | 0.10 | 0.10 | 13.30 | 4.50 |
| December | 12.30 | 20.40 | 12.70 | 15.10 |
| January | 5.00 | 6.50 | 0.30 | 3.90 |
| February | 7.80 | 5.40 | 4.10 | 5.80 |
| March | 6.50 | 9.30 | 5.90 | 7.20 |
| April | 8.50 | 14.60 | 9.40 | 10.80 |
| May | 0.00 | 0.70 | 0.30 | 0.30 |
| June | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Average | 3.35 | 4.89 | 3.84 | 4.03 |
Monthly Precipitation (inches)
| 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1.28 | 0.63 | 0.19 | 0.70 |
| February | 0.59 | 0.58 | 0.37 | 1.02 |
| March | 0.78 | 1.04 | 1.25 | 1.02 |
| April | 1.83 | 1.89 | 1.55 | 1.76 |
| May | 0.47 | 0.73 | 1.79 | 1.00 |
| June | 2.94 | 0.10 | 0.65 | 1.23 |
| July | 0.20 | 0.23 | 0.10 | 0.18 |
| August | 0.68 | 0.01 | 0.11 | 0.27 |
| September | 0.27 | 0.99 | 0.38 | 0.55 |
| October | 0.49 | 1.87 | 0.59 | 0.98 |
| November | 0.01 | 1.55 | 0.39 | 0.65 |
| December | 1.68 | 2.08 | 0.00 | 1.25 |
| Average | 0.94 | 0.98 | 0.61 | 0.84 |
Source: National Weather Service Forecast Office, Elko WB Airport, NV
Housing
Housing Availability
According to the 2000 Census, there are 18,456 housing units in Elko County. 15,638 are occupied, 2,818 are vacant, and 724 are available for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.
Housing Costs
| Median Value | Median Mortgage | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elko County | $123,100 | $1,086 | $583 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census
Traffic
| Average Commute Time | # of Vehicles per Household* | % of Work Done at Home | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elko County | 25.2 minutes | 1.84 | 2.5 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census, *ehome.com
Media
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Newspapers
- Elko Daily Free Press
- High Desert Advocate
- The Wells Progress
- The Wendover Times
Radio
Please click here to view radio stations in Elko County, Nevada.
Medical/Health Resources
Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital
Replacing Elko General Hospital and located in Elko, the heart of rural northeastern Nevada, this hospital is brand new and had its grand opening on September 1, 2001. The hospital is a modern 75-bed acute care facility with an adjacent 50,000 sq. ft. medical office building. The facility will have 24-hour emergency services, a full service laboratory, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 24-hour radiology services, and more.
Elko Clinic
Located in a 32,000 square foot facility, Elko Clinic provides primary care in pediatrics, family practice, and internal medicine. Multi-specialties are offered in OBGYN, surgery, and pathology. The facility also has a full laboratory and x-ray department.
Home Health Services of Nevada
Provides skilled nursing care, home health aides, homemaker services, hospice care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social workers, and speech therapy. Also serves Carlin and Wells.
Carlin Community Health Center
Provides family medicine, preventative health, women's health, children's health and immunizations, health education, prenatal and newborn care and pharmacy services..
Wells Family Medicine
Treatment and management for acute and chronic disease, well-child care visits, women's wellness, physical examinations, diagnosing, prescribing, laboratory and diagnostic imaging.
Emergency Services
Elko County has a variety of emergency services including Ambulance, Police, Fire, and Sheriff Departments
Education
Elko County is home to two private schools, seventeen elementary schools, two junior high schools, and seven high schools.* In Elko County, the average teacher/student ratio is 19:1, the class of 2009 drop out rate was 1.4%, and the class of 2009 graduation rate was 86.9%.**
*U.S. Census 2000, **Nevada Annual Reports of Accountability
Mathematics Criterion Reference Test (CRT) Results 2009-10
Grade 4
| Area | Number Enrolled |
Not Tested (%) | Emergent/ Developing (%) |
Approaches Standard (%) | Meets Standard (%) | Exceeds Standard (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elko County | 703 | 0.1 | 10.1 | 29.5 | 54.7 | 5.7 |
| Nevada | 33,456 | 0.2 | 8.0 | 25.6 | 57,5 | 8.9 |
| National* | Below Basic
19.0 |
At or Above Basic
43.0 |
At or Above Proficient
33.0 |
At Advanced
6.0 |
Grade 8
| Area | Number Enrolled |
Not Tested (%) | Emergent/ Developing (%) |
Approaches Standard (%) | Meets Standard (%) | Exceeds Standard (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elko County | 744 | 1.2 | 13.9 | 35.2 | 50.5 | 0.4 |
| Nevada | 32,830 | 0.4 | 13.5 | 30.6 | 52.2 | 3.7 |
| National* | Below Basic
29.0 |
At or Above Basic
39.0 |
At or Above Proficient
25.0 |
At Advanced
7.0 |
Reading Criterion Reference Test (CRT) Results 2009-10
Grade 4
| Area | Number Enrolled |
Not Tested (%) | Emergent/ Developing (%) |
Approaches Standard (%) | Meets Standard (%) | Exceeds Standard (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elko County | 703 | 0.1 | 5.8 | 26.8 | 46.0 | 21.4 |
| Nevada | 33,456 | 0.2 | 7.4 | 27.5 | 41.6 | 23.5 |
| National* | Below Basic
34.0 |
At or Above Basic
34.0 |
At or Above Proficient
24.0 |
At Advanced
7.0 |
Grade 8
| Area | Number Enrolled |
Not Tested (%) | Emergent/ Developing (%) |
Approaches Standard (%) | Meets Standard (%) | Exceeds Standard (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elko County | 744 | 1.1 | 3.8 | 27.9 | 48.4 | 20.0 |
| Nevada | 32,830 | 0.4 | 3.7 | 30.4 | 44.0 | 22.0 |
| National* | Below Basic
26.0 |
At or Above Basic
43.0 |
At or Above Proficient
28.0 |
At Advanced
2.0 |
Science Criterion Reference Test (CRT) Results 2009-10
Grade 5
| Area | Number Enrolled |
Not Tested (%) | Emergent/ Developing (%) |
Approaches Standard (%) | Meets Standard (%) | Exceeds Standard (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elko County | 681 | 0.4 | 15.5 | 30.1 | 43.2 | 11.2 |
| Nevada | 33,418 | 0.3 | 19.6 | 29.1 | 39.6 | 11.7 |
| National* | N/A | |||||
Grade 8
| Area | Number Enrolled |
Not Tested (%) | Emergent/ Developing (%) |
Approaches Standard (%) | Meets Standard (%) | Exceeds Standard (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elko County | 744 | 1.1 | 26.1 | 23.1 | 41.8 | 9.0 |
| Nevada | 32,830 | 0.9 | 27.8 | 23.1 | 37.3 | 11.8 |
| National* | N/A | |||||
Source: Nevada Annual Reports of Accountability, *National Center for Education Statistics, 2009
Achievement (Standard)
Emergent/Developing - Student occasionally/does not apply skills/strategies and requires extensive remediation.
Approaches Standard - Student inconsistently/incompletely applies skills/strategies and requires targeted remediation.
Meets Standard - Student consistently applies skills/strategies without need for remediation.
Exceeds Standard - Student comprehensively/consistently applies and generalizes skills/strategies in a variety of situations.
Charter school data are not included in district totals.
Great Basin College
Great Basin College is a member institution of the University and Community College System of Nevada and is accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. For 35 years GBC has provided opportunities in higher education for central and northeast Nevadans. The College has also provided specialized training to local businesses and industries such as the mines, hospital, and education. GBC awards certificates of achievement, associate degrees, and select bachelor degrees using a variety of instructional methods. By advancing the academic and professional endeavors of the rural communities and by providing access to quality certificate, associate, and baccalaureate programs, GBC's mission of addressing workforce needs of the regional economy has been enhanced. Currently, the College offers bachelor degrees in elementary education, applied sciences, and integrative and professional studies.
Cultural Organizations and Recreation
Western Folklife Center
Located in the historic Pioneer Hotel in downtown Elko, the center is dedicated to preserving the rich culture and spirit of the American West. Headquarters for the world re-known Cowboy Poetry Gathering, the center is the site of year-round entertainment and activities, including concerts, music hours, workshops and educational programs for children. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The center is closed on Sunday and Monday.
Northeastern Nevada Museum
Constructed in 1967, the award-winning museum offers visitors a look into the rich history of the region. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
Elko Convention Center and Visitors Authority
Provides comfortable meeting and banquet facilities, as well as professional support staff.
Pony Express Cabin
One of the few remaining Pony Express cabins that was used by riders between 1860 and 1861. The building is listed in the National Historic Register and was used as the model for a duplicate at the Pony Express Museum in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Elko Railroad Park
Railroad Park is the site of demonstrations, summer storytelling, music festivals and other activities commemorating the role Elko played in the rail history of our nation.
Sherman Station
Sherman Station contains the main ranch house and outbuildings of the Walther homestead, which consisted of 600 acres in 1875 and served as a stage stop on the old Hill Beachey toll road between Elko and Hamilton. The buildings that comprise Sherman Station include the main ranch house, one-room school house, creamery, blacksmith's shop, and the barns that housed the stage teams and coaches.
Gold Mine Tours
Two of the largest gold mines in the world, Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc. & Newmont Gold Company, offer public tours during the spring and summer months.
Summit Raceway
Just one mile outside of Elko, it is the site of weekly stock car races during the summer months.
Spring Creek Horse Palace
Resting in the foothills of the Ruby Mountains just 17 miles southeast of Elko, the Horse Palace boasts an indoor arena where rodeos, horse shows and concerts take place year round.
Lamoille Canyon
Sometimes referred to as the "Yosemite of Nevada," the canyon was heavily carved by glacial activity. A four-stop self guided auto tour with geology interpretive exhibits leads visitors past meadows full of wildflowers, abundant wildlife, waterfalls, and avalanche chutes. Nature trails and picnic grounds are available.
Tuscarora
A trip to Tuscarora provides visitors with a nostalgic journey back in time. During its peak mining period in 1878, there were 30,000 people living in Tuscarora. Today there are a handful of residents in this almost ghost town, including renowned potter Dennis Parks, who operates the famous Tuscarora Pottery School. Points of interest include the cemetery, historic buildings, a small museum, and the pottery school and gallery which attracts students from around the world.
Ruby Mountains
Reached via the Lamoille Canyon National Scenic Byway, 26 miles southeast of Elko on State Route 227, the Ruby Mountains are described by many as one of America's most beautiful mountain ranges, the Ruby Mountains offer endless miles of hiking trails along rushing waterfalls and fields of blazing wildflowers.
Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge
The Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge provides visitors with outstanding wildlife observation in a tranquil natural setting. Recreational opportunities include bird watching, photography, hunting, fishing, boating and nearby camping.
Wildhorse State Recreation Area
Wildhorse Recreation Area is comprised of more than 120 acres of outdoor fun and adventure. Boating, fishing, camping, picnicking, hunting, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and an annual ice-fishing derby round out the endless recreational options. The area can be reached 67 miles north of Elko on State Route 225.
South Fork State Recreation Area
Located 16 miles southwest of Elko following State Routes 227 and 228. South Fork is a favorite among locals for all water sports, including boating, water-skiing, and fishing. Camping is available in developed sites.
Ruby View Golf Course
Majestic 18-hole "grand ol' man" of Elko has the look and feel of an exclusive country club - at public course prices.
Spring Creek Golf Course
A privately-owned 6,258-yard par 72 course set at the base of the Ruby Mountains. Much like a British links course, accuracy is at a premium.
Fishing
The Elko area contains the most fishable streams and stocked reservoirs in Nevada. Most waters contain trout, but largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie and catfish are also plentiful.
Hunting
Elko County is a hunter's paradise. The majority of the State's mule deer and sage grouse are harvested within the county. The area is well known for chukar and Hungarian Partridge. Other big game animals include pronghorn antelope, elk, and California and Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep.
Mountain Biking
There are a variety of mountain trails to choose from for every skill level from novice to the experienced rider looking for a challenge.
Off Highway Vehicle Traveling
The majority of Elko County is classified as "open" to off-road vehicle use. Opportunities vary from well maintained gravel roads to hundreds of miles of primitive, back country "two-tracks." visitors are encouraged to follow the "Tread Lightly" guidelines.
Source: Elko Convention Center and Visitors Authority
Annual Events
Visit www.elkocva.com to view local events.
Libraries
There are two libraries in Elko County, both are located in Elko.
Financial Institutions
- Bank of America
- Elko Federal Credit Union
- Greater Nevada Credit Union
- Nevada Bank & Trust Company
- Nevada State Bank
- US Bank
- Wells Fargo
Source: Department of Training, Rehabilitation, and Employment (DETR)
Cost of Living
Elko is one of 565 "Micropolitan" towns in the U.S. USA Today reports "micropolitans are becoming economic hubs, drawing workers and shoppers from miles around. Small towns that have good highways and rail lines have huge advantages. In addition, micropolitans offer cheaper land, cheaper construction, lower labor rates and a small-town quality of life. Micropolitans represent potentially lucrative and untapped markets. More than 28 million people, or one in 10 Americans, live in such areas. For the 565 small U.S. cities at the center of these micros, the official identity lets them market themselves as 'economic entities that extend far beyond city limits'".
| Cost of Living | Elko, NV | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 96 | 100 |
| Food | 105 | 100 |
| Utilities | 94 | 100 |
| Miscellaneous | 104 | 100 |
Source: Sperling's Best Places
Elko County's cost of living indices are based on a U.S. average of 100. An amount below 100 means Elko, NV is cheaper than the U.S. average. A cost of living index above 100 means Elko, NV is more expensive. Overall, Elko, NV's cost of living is 95.70. Compared to the rest of the country, Elko Metro area's cost of living is 5.30% lower than the U.S. average.
