Esmeralda County, Nevada
Esmeralda County | |
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UTC−7 (PDT) | |
Congressional district | 4th |
Website | www |
Esmeralda County is a county in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 census, the population was 729,[1] making it the least populous county in Nevada, and the 20th least populous county in the United States. Esmeralda County does not have any incorporated communities. Its county seat is the town of Goldfield.[2]
Its 2000 census population density of 0.2706 inhabitants per square mile (0.1045/km2) was the second-lowest of any county in the contiguous United States (above Loving County, Texas). Its school district does not have a high school, so students in grades 9–12 go to school in Tonopah, in the Nye County School District.
Most residents live in Goldfield or in the town of Dyer in Fish Lake Valley, near the California border. Esmeralda is the only Nevada county in the Los Angeles TV market (or any California market) as defined by The Nielsen Corporation.[3]
History
Esmeralda County is one of the original counties in Nevada, established on November 25, 1861.[4] When it was organized, it comprised the part of the Nevada Territory south of the 39th parallel and east of Mason Valley.[5] Esmeralda is the Spanish and Portuguese word for "emerald". An early California miner from San Jose, James Manning Cory, named the Esmeralda Mining District after Esmeralda the Romani dancer from The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.[6]
Just after the organization of Esmeralda County, the vast majority of the land area had yet to be explored.
The total area of Esmeralda County more than halved as
Esmeralda grew from a gold mining boom in the first years of the 20th century. The mines were largely tapped out by the end of the 1910s and the economy and population declined afterwards.
Geography
According to the
The county is dominated by the Silver Peak and Monte Cristo mountain ranges. Mountains in the county include:
- Boundary Peak, 13,147 feet (4,007 m), the highest natural point in Nevada
- Piper Peak, 9,450 feet (2,880 m), the most prominent peak in Esmeralda County
- Magruder Mountain 9,044 feet (2,757 m)
- Montezuma Peak, 8,373 feet (2,552 m)
- Emigrant Peak, 6,790 feet (2,070 m)
Highways
Adjacent counties
- Mineral County - northwest
- Nye County - east
- Inyo County, California - south
- Mono County, California - west
National protected areas
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1870 | 1,553 | — | |
1880 | 3,220 | 107.3% | |
1890 | 2,148 | −33.3% | |
1900 | 1,972 | −8.2% | |
1910 | 9,369 | 375.1% | |
1920 | 2,410 | −74.3% | |
1930 | 1,077 | −55.3% | |
1940 | 1,554 | 44.3% | |
1950 | 614 | −60.5% | |
1960 | 619 | 0.8% | |
1970 | 629 | 1.6% | |
1980 | 777 | 23.5% | |
1990 | 1,344 | 73.0% | |
2000 | 971 | −27.8% | |
2010 | 783 | −19.4% | |
2020 | 729 | −6.9% | |
2023 (est.) | 736 | [8] | 1.0% |
U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11] 1990-2000[12] 2010-2020[1] |
2000 census
At the
The age distribution was 20.50% under the age of 18, 6.00% from 18 to 24, 23.40% from 25 to 44, 33.00% from 45 to 64, and 17.20% 65 or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 123.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 118.70 males.
The median household income was $33,203 and the median family income was $40,917. Males had a median income of $39,327 versus $25,469 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,971. 15.30% of the population and 7.50% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 9.70% are under the age of 18 and 11.40% are 65 or older.
2010 census
At the
Of the 389 households, 18.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 45.2% were non-families, and 40.6% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.67. The median age was 52.9 years.[14]
The median household income was $39,712 and the median family income was $57,292. Males had a median income of $41,023 versus $27,019 for females. The per capita income for the county was $34,571. About 6.7% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the
Law and government
The county seat of Esmeralda County is Goldfield since May 1, 1907. The courthouse was opened on May 1, 1908, and has been in continuous use since then. Currently, the Offices of the
Politics
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 400 | 82.14% | 74 | 15.20% | 13 | 2.67% |
2016 | 329 | 77.78% | 65 | 15.37% | 29 | 6.86% |
2012 | 317 | 72.87% | 92 | 21.15% | 26 | 5.98% |
2008 | 303 | 69.02% | 104 | 23.69% | 32 | 7.29% |
2004 | 367 | 76.30% | 99 | 20.58% | 15 | 3.12% |
2000 | 333 | 67.82% | 116 | 23.63% | 42 | 8.55% |
1996 | 277 | 50.73% | 140 | 25.64% | 129 | 23.63% |
1992 | 221 | 37.84% | 118 | 20.21% | 245 | 41.95% |
1988 | 380 | 68.84% | 143 | 25.91% | 29 | 5.25% |
1984 | 453 | 70.02% | 158 | 24.42% | 36 | 5.56% |
1980 | 311 | 66.31% | 110 | 23.45% | 48 | 10.23% |
1976 | 181 | 43.51% | 214 | 51.44% | 21 | 5.05% |
1972 | 273 | 68.25% | 127 | 31.75% | 0 | 0.00% |
1968 | 138 | 39.09% | 118 | 33.43% | 97 | 27.48% |
1964 | 131 | 41.19% | 187 | 58.81% | 0 | 0.00% |
1960 | 156 | 42.05% | 215 | 57.95% | 0 | 0.00% |
1956 | 164 | 56.94% | 124 | 43.06% | 0 | 0.00% |
1952 | 174 | 55.59% | 139 | 44.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
1948 | 164 | 44.93% | 183 | 50.14% | 18 | 4.93% |
1944 | 150 | 40.21% | 223 | 59.79% | 0 | 0.00% |
1940 | 292 | 31.36% | 639 | 68.64% | 0 | 0.00% |
1936 | 156 | 21.61% | 566 | 78.39% | 0 | 0.00% |
1932 | 147 | 25.65% | 426 | 74.35% | 0 | 0.00% |
1928 | 305 | 47.21% | 341 | 52.79% | 0 | 0.00% |
1924 | 241 | 33.20% | 150 | 20.66% | 335 | 46.14% |
1920 | 466 | 49.57% | 347 | 36.91% | 127 | 13.51% |
1916 | 709 | 31.08% | 1,135 | 49.76% | 437 | 19.16% |
1912 | 252 | 13.81% | 713 | 39.07% | 860 | 47.12% |
1908 | 2,208 | 38.17% | 2,787 | 48.18% | 789 | 13.64% |
1904 | 490 | 42.20% | 380 | 32.73% | 291 | 25.06% |
Education
The Esmeralda County School District has three elementary schools that currently serve approximately 90 students.
As of 2022 it sends its high school students to Tonopah High School of Nye County School District.[19]
The county is in the service area of Great Basin College.[20]
Communities
Census-designated places
- Dyer
- Goldfield (county seat)
- Silver Peak
Ghost towns
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Esmeralda County, Nevada
- USS Esmeraldo County (LST-761)
References
- ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
- ^ "County Explorer". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Nielsen DMA—Designated Market Area Regions 2018–2019, The Nielsen Company, 2018.
- ^ "History of Esmeralda County". History of Nevada. Thompson and West. 1881. pp. 401–425.
- ^ a b c Thompson; West (1881). History of Nevada. Oakland, California: Thompson and West. pp. 512 and 513. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
- ^ Paul F. Starrs, "Esmeralda County, Nevada: Empty Land? Poor Land? Fair Land? Masters thesis, Geography, University of California, Berkeley, 1984
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
- ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
- ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
- ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2016.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
- ^ "Education". Esmeralda County, Nevada. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
- ^ "Data and Information". Great Basin College. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
External links
- Official website
- Esmeralda County School District
- Aurora, Esmeralda County, Nevada Collection. Western Americana Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.