Esmeralda County, Nevada Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Esmeralda County is located in Nevada with a total population of 1,028. It is the 17th most populous county out of 17 in Nevada. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Esmeralda County is 55.0 years. This is 41% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. Only 12.8% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Esmeralda County is $41,715. This is 47% lower than the state median of $78,260. It is also 48% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.4%. This is about the same as the state poverty rate of 12.4%. The unemployment rate is 0.6%. This is 92% lower than the state rate of 7.0%. The median home value is $108,900. Housing costs are 75% lower than the state median of $435,400. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Esmeralda County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 60.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 1% higher than the state average of 60.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Esmeralda County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 58.3% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 31.5%. The Black or African American population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 9.0%. The Asian population (1.2%) is well below the state average of 8.8%.

Education

21.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 24% lower than the state rate of 27.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 83.2%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Esmeralda County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Nevada and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.