Nye County, Nevada

Nye County is a county located in the U.S. State of Nevada. As of 2000, the population is 32,485. Nye is the third largest in area county in the continental United States and is the location of the controversial Yucca Mountain. Its county seat is Tonopah⁶.

Table of contents 1 History 2 Geography 3 Demographics 4 Cities and Towns 5 External Links

History The nuclear test site[?] and proposed nuclear waste repository Yucca Mountain is located in the south-western part of the county and is the focus of a great deal of political and public controversy in the state. The US federal government also owns 92% of the land in the county. This is also a controversial subject for the county and for the state.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 47,031 km² (18,159 mi²). 47,000 km² (18,147 mi²) of it is land and 31 km² (12 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.07% water.

Nye County is located in south central Nevada and is shaped somewhat like a lopsided "T". Nye is the largest county in Nevada and is the third largest county in the continental United States. With a land area of 11,560,960 acres, Nye County is larger than the total acreage of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Delaware. Of this vast land area, only 822,711 acres (or just over seven percent of the total) is private land; the majority of the county's land is owned by the federal government. Churchill, Lander, Eureka, and White Pine counties border the county on the north, going from west to east respectively. Mineral and Esmeralda counties are at its western borders, Lincoln and Clark counties are at its eastern borders and Inyo County, California is at its southern border. Las Vegas, in Clark County, is 100 miles southeast of Yucca Mountain.

Demographics As of the census of 2000, there are 32,485 people, 13,309 households, and 9,063 families residing in the county. The population density is 1/km² (2/mi²). There are 15,934 housing units at an average density of 0/km² (1/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 89.63% White, 1.18% African 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% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 13,309 households out of which 26.40% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.30% are married couples living together, 7.40% have a female householder with no husband present, and 31.90% are non-families. 25.70% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.30% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size is 2.90.

In the county the population is spread out with 23.70% under the age of 18, 5.40% from 18 to 24, 24.00% from 25 to 44, 28.50% from 45 to 64, and 18.40% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 43 years. For every 100 females there are 105.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 104.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county is $36,024, and the median income for a family is $41,642. Males have a median income of $37,276 versus $22,394 for females. The per capita income for the county is $17,962. 10.70% of the population and 7.30% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 13.10% are under the age of 18 and 8.30% are 65 or older.

Cities and Towns

• Beatty
• Gabbs
• Pahrump
• Tonopah

External Links

• Official Site for Nye County, Nevada (http://www.nyecounty.org/)
• Nye County Government (http://www.nyegov.com/)
• Nye County Nuclear Waste Repository Project Office (http://www.nyecounty.com/)