Elko County, Nevada Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Elko County

County

Elko County Courthouse in Elko

Flag

Location within the U.S. state of Nevada

Nevada's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Nevada

Founded

1869; 156 years ago

Largest city

Elko

Area

• Total

17,203 sq mi (44,560 km²)

• Land

17,170 sq mi (44,500 km²)

• Water

33 sq mi (90 km²) 0.2%

Population

(2020)

• Total

53,702

• Estimate

(2023)

54,293

• Density

3.12166/sq mi (1.20528/km²)

Time zones

Majority of county

UTC−8 (Pacific)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−7 (PDT)

West Wendover

UTC−7 (Mountain)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−6 (MDT)

Congressional district

2nd

Elko County is a large area in the northeastern part of Nevada, United States. It's like a big neighborhood with its own government. In 2020, about 53,702 people lived here. The main town and government center is Elko.

Elko County was created on March 5, 1869. It was formed from a part of Lander County. It is one of the biggest counties in the United States. Only a few other counties are larger. Elko County is also home to a big part of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation. This land belongs to the Shoshone-Paiute people, a federally recognized tribe.

History of Elko County
Geography and Nature
People of Elko County
Getting Around Elko County
- Main Roads and Highways
Towns and Communities
Education
See also

History of Elko County

This area has been home to Native American tribes for a very long time. These include the Western Shoshone, Northern Paiute, and Bannock peoples. They lived here for centuries, following their traditional ways.

Elko County was officially created in 1869. Its name comes from the town of Elko, which is its main city.

In 1877, the Duck Valley Indian Reservation was set up. This was done by a special order from the President for the Western Shoshone tribe. Later, in 1886, the reservation was made even bigger. This was to include the Paiute people. Today, these two tribes work together. They farm and raise animals on their land.

The number of people living in Elko County grew a lot in the late 1900s. More jobs became available, and the area became more popular.

Geography and Nature

This picture shows the sagebrush steppe in Elko County. It's a common sight along US 93.

Elko County is very large. It covers about 17,203 square miles. Most of this area is land, with only a small part being water. It is the fourth-largest county in the United States by land area. It's bigger than many states!

The land in Elko County changes a lot. The lowest parts are around 4,300 feet high. These areas are near the salt flats of the Great Salt Lake Desert. The highest point is Ruby Dome, which is 11,387 feet tall. This mountain is part of the Ruby Mountains. Another important mountain is Pilot Peak.

The county has different types of land. Most of it is part of the Great Basin section. This is a dry area with mountains and valleys. There are also parts that are like the Snake River Plain. This is a flatter area.

Wildfires started by lightning often happen in Elko County.

Protected Natural Areas

Some parts of Elko County are protected. These areas help keep nature safe.

Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest (a part of this forest is in the county)
Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge (a part of this refuge is in the county)

Neighboring Counties

Elko County shares borders with many other counties:

Owyhee County, Idaho - to the northwest
Twin Falls County, Idaho - to the north
Cassia County, Idaho - to the northeast
Box Elder County, Utah - to the east
Tooele County, Utah - to the southeast
White Pine County - to the south
Eureka County - to the southwest
Lander County - to the southwest
Humboldt County - to the west

Time Zones in Elko County

Most of Elko County is in the Pacific Time Zone. This is the same time zone as California. However, the city of West Wendover is in the Mountain Time Zone. This is because it is very close to Utah. Some other towns also use Mountain Time unofficially. This helps them work with nearby towns in Idaho.

People of Elko County

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1870	3,447	—
1880	5,716	65.8%
1890	4,794	−16.1%
1900	5,688	18.6%
1910	8,133	43.0%
1920	8,083	−0.6%
1930	9,960	23.2%
1940	10,912	9.6%
1950	11,654	6.8%
1960	12,011	3.1%
1970	13,958	16.2%
1980	17,269	23.7%
1990	33,530	94.2%
2000	45,291	35.1%
2010	48,818	7.8%
2020	53,702	10.0%
2023 (est.)	54,293	11.2%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2018

In 2010, there were 48,818 people living in Elko County. There were 17,442 households, which are groups of people living together. About 39.8% of these households had children under 18. The average age of people in the county was 33.4 years old.

The average income for a family in the county was about $75,171 per year. This means many families earn a good living here.

Getting Around Elko County

You can travel through Elko County in several ways. Many highways cross the county. Some of these are very important national roads. The county also has its own local roads. However, many of these are dirt roads and are not cleared in winter.

If you want to fly, there is the Elko Regional Airport in Elko. You can fly from here to Salt Lake City. Other smaller airports are in Jackpot, Owyhee, and Wells.

You can also travel by train. Amtrak has a train station in Elko. The train is called the California Zephyr. It travels once a day, either east or west.