# Humboldt County, Nevada

Humboldt County is a county in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 17,285. It is a largely rural county that is sparsely populated with the only major city being Winnemucca which has a population of 8,431. Humboldt County comprises the Winnemucca, NV Micropolitan Statistical Area and serves as an important crossroads in the national transportation network. Interstate 80 travels through the southeastern corner of the county, meeting US 95 in Winnemucca that serves as a primary freight corridor between Northern Nevada and Boise, Idaho and the Interstate 84 freight corridor that links much of the Pacific Northwest. The original transcontinental railway, constructed by the Central Pacific Railroad, reached Humboldt County on September 16, 1868. The Western Pacific Railroad would reach Humboldt County by November 1909, providing two mainline rail links to California and the Eastern United States. Both railroads have since been acquired by the Union Pacific Railroad, who continues to serve the region today.
The county contains several areas of land belonging to regionally significant Native American communities including the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe and the Winnemucca Indian Colony of Nevada.
Largely a region with ranchers and farmers, the county came under increased attention after the 2017 proposal of the Thacker Pass Lithium Mine. The mine has been controversial locally and in the national press—as it would be the first major lithium clay mine to open in the United States and be important to the local economy but threatens local ecosystems and indigenous heritage sites.

## History

Humboldt County is the oldest county in Nevada, created by the Utah Territorial Legislature in 1856. It was also one of Nevada's original nine counties created in 1861. The county is named after the Humboldt River, which was named by John C. Frémont after Alexander von Humboldt, a German naturalist, traveler and statesman. Humboldt never saw the places that bear his name. Unionville was the first county seat in 1861 until the mining boom died there and it was moved to Winnemucca on the transcontinental railroad line in 1873.
The county was the site of an arrest in 2000 that led to the U.S. Supreme Court decision Hiibel v. Sixth Judicial District Court of Nevada in 2004.
Humboldt County is referenced in Brandon Flowers' 2015 song "Digging Up The Heart", in which the protagonist meets "Christie, queen of Humboldt County".

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 9,658 square miles (25,010 km$^2$), of which 9,641 square miles (24,970 km$^2$) is land and 17 square miles (44 km$^2$) (0.2%) is water. It is Nevada's fourth-largest county by area.
The Santa Rosa Range runs through eastern Humboldt County. The highest point in the county, 9,731 ft (2,966 m) Granite Peak, is in the range. The most topographically prominent mountain in Humboldt County is unofficially known as Dan Dobbins Peak and is in the remote Jackson Mountains.

### Adjacent counties

* Harney County, Oregon - northwest
* Malheur County, Oregon - north
* Owyhee County, Idaho - northeast/Mountain Time Border
* Elko County - east
* Lander County - southeast
* Pershing County - south
* Washoe County - west

### National protected areas

* Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area (part)
* Humboldt National Forest (part)
* Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge (part)

### Reservations

The county includes land that is held by Indian reservations.

#### Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe

The Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation spans the distance of the Nevada–Oregon border, in Humboldt County, Nevada and Malheur County, Oregon, near the Quinn River, which runs east to west through the Tribe's Nevada lands. Just to the east is southwestern Idaho. The Fort McDermitt Military Reservation was established 14 August 1865 at the former site of Quinn River Camp No. 33 and a stagecoach stop, Quinn River Station, in what was a traditional seasonal homeland of the Paiute, Shoshone and Bannock peoples.

#### Winnemucca Indian Colony of Nevada
## Demographics
### 2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 16,106 people in the county, organized into 5733 households, and 4133 families. The population density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km$^2$). There were 6,954 housing units at an average density of 1 units per square mile (0.39/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 83.21% White, 4.02% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.51% Black or African American, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 8.54% from other races, and 3.09% from two or more races. 18.87%. were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 5,733 households, 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 22.8% of households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.28.
The age distribution was 31.40% under the age of 18, 7.50% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 7.50% who were 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.20 males.
The median household income was $47,147 and the median family income was $52,156. Males had a median income of $44,694 versus $25,917 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,539. 9.70% of the population and 7.70% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 10.40% of those under the age of 18 and 10.80% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

### 2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 16,528 people, 6,289 households, and 4,316 families in the county. The population density was 1.7 inhabitants per square mile (0.66/km$^2$). There were 7,123 housing units at an average density of 0.7 units per square mile (0.27 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 79.0% white, 4.2% American Indian, 0.7% Asian, 0.5% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 12.7% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 24.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 15.0% were English, 14.6% were Irish, 14.1% were German, and 5.1% were American.
Of the 6,289 households, 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.4% were non-families, and 25.6% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.13. The median age was 36.2 years.
The median household income was $55,656 and the median family income was $69,032. Males had a median income of $56,843 versus $33,531 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,965. About 7.8% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

## Education

Humboldt County School District serves all of Humboldt County. Albert M. Lowry High School and McDermitt Combined School have high school programs.
The county is in the service area of Great Basin College.
Previously Crane Union High School, a boarding high school in Oregon, served portions of the county, and it continues to be an option for residents living in Denio.
There was formerly a private school in the county, the Leonard Creek School, that was in operation in 1978.

## Law enforcement

There have been at least two allegations of abuse of civil forfeiture by Humboldt County Sheriff's deputy Lee Dove, who as of 2015, is no longer employed as a deputy. Both cases were settled in favor of the civilians in question.

## Politics

Humboldt County, like most of rural Nevada, is overwhelmingly Republican. This has been especially true in recent elections, with Donald Trump receiving over three-quarters of the vote in both 2020 and 2024. The Fort McDermitt Indian Reservation, which lies on the county's northern border, is the only Democratic-leaning area of the county, though their population is relatively small in comparison with the city of Winnemucca and the rest of the rural county and other communities such as Paradise Valley, Orovada and Denio, which vote heavily Republican.
United States presidential election results for Humboldt County, Nevada :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 6,141 | 76.48% | 1,711 | 21.31% | 178 | 2.22% |
| 2020 | 5,877 | 75.63% | 1,689 | 21.73% | 205 | 2.64% |
| 2016 | 4,521 | 70.28% | 1,386 | 21.55% | 526 | 8.18% |
| 2012 | 3,810 | 66.33% | 1,737 | 30.24% | 197 | 3.43% |
| 2008 | 3,586 | 63.31% | 1,909 | 33.70% | 169 | 2.98% |
| 2004 | 3,896 | 72.59% | 1,361 | 25.36% | 110 | 2.05% |
| 2000 | 3,638 | 72.33% | 1,128 | 22.43% | 264 | 5.25% |
| 1996 | 2,334 | 50.85% | 1,467 | 31.96% | 789 | 17.19% |
| 1992 | 1,505 | 42.72% | 810 | 22.99% | 1,208 | 34.29% |
| 1988 | 2,378 | 66.50% | 1,024 | 28.64% | 174 | 4.87% |
| 1984 | 2,498 | 72.41% | 862 | 24.99% | 90 | 2.61% |
| 1980 | 1,950 | 68.59% | 684 | 24.06% | 209 | 7.35% |
| 1976 | 1,380 | 53.38% | 1,074 | 41.55% | 131 | 5.07% |
| 1972 | 1,659 | 69.94% | 713 | 30.06% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,287 | 50.97% | 885 | 35.05% | 353 | 13.98% |
| 1964 | 1,106 | 43.77% | 1,421 | 56.23% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 1,157 | 49.66% | 1,173 | 50.34% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,292 | 60.60% | 840 | 39.40% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 1,398 | 66.92% | 691 | 33.08% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 901 | 49.21% | 886 | 48.39% | 44 | 2.40% |
| 1944 | 835 | 45.65% | 994 | 54.35% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 789 | 36.60% | 1,367 | 63.40% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 390 | 24.38% | 1,210 | 75.63% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 405 | 26.45% | 1,126 | 73.55% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1928 | 783 | 56.53% | 602 | 43.47% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 400 | 35.30% | 248 | 21.89% | 485 | 42.81% |
| 1920 | 660 | 51.40% | 532 | 41.43% | 92 | 7.17% |
| 1916 | 1,004 | 33.47% | 1,681 | 56.03% | 315 | 10.50% |
| 1912 | 207 | 11.51% | 719 | 39.99% | 872 | 48.50% |
| 1908 | 823 | 40.07% | 1,009 | 49.12% | 222 | 10.81% |
| 1904 | 610 | 57.44% | 356 | 33.52% | 96 | 9.04% |

## Economy
### Lithium mine

The Thacker Pass lithium mine is a lithium clay mining development project in Humboldt County, Nevada, which is the largest known lithium deposit in the US and one of the largest in the world, and is believed by some to have the potential to supply up to 25% of the worlds lithium demand. There has been significant exploration of Thacker Pass since 2007. The Bureau of Land Management issued a Record of Decision approving development of the mine in January 2021. Construction began in March 2023 after an emergency appeal was denied by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The project site would cover 18,000 acres (7,300 ha), with less than 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) of that being mined, on a site 21 miles (34 km) west-northwest of Orovada, Nevada within the McDermitt Caldera. The mine is a project of Lithium Nevada, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lithium Americas Corp. In late January 2023, car giant General Motors announced it would invest $650M in the mine project, giving GM exclusive access to the first phase of production. In February 2023, when the initial $320 million investment was completed, GM became Lithium Americas largest shareholder and offtake partner. At full capacity the mine would produce 66,000 tons annually, equivalent to 25% of the current (2021) demand for lithium globally, which is expected to triple over the next five years. Development of the mine is driven by increasing demand for lithium used in electric vehicle batteries and grid storage of intermittently generated electricity from sources such as solar power or wind power.

## Transportation
### Major highways

* Interstate 80
* Interstate 80 Business Loop
* U.S. Route 95
* State Route 140
* State Route 289
* State Route 290
* State Route 292
* State Route 293
* State Route 294
* State Route 789
* State Route 794
* State Route 795
* State Route 796

## Communities
### City

* Winnemucca (county seat)

### Census-designated places

* Denio
* Fort McDermitt
* Golconda
* McDermitt
* Orovada
* Paradise Valley
* Valmy

### Unincorporated communities

* Rebel Creek
* Stone House
* Tule