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Washoe County
countyWashoe County, Nevada
Overview
- Classification
- County
- FIPS Code
- 32031
- Country
- United States
- County
- County
Geography
- Region
- Northwestern Nevada, High Eastern Sierra foothills
- Total Area
- 6,542 sq mi
- Land Area
- 6,302 sq mi
- Water Area
- 240 sq mi
- Latitude
- 40.63
- Longitude
- -119.68
- Climate
- Semi-arid climate with hot summers and cool winters. Expect over 300 days of sunshine. Low humidity.
- Notable Features
- Lake Tahoe · Pyramid Lake · Mount Rose · Black Rock Desert · Truckee River
- Neighboring Areas
- Lake County, Oregon · Harney County, Oregon · Humboldt County, Nevada · Pershing County, Nevada · Churchill County, Nevada · Lyon County, Nevada · Storey County, Nevada · Carson City, Nevada · Placer County, California · Nevada County, California · Sierra County, California · Lassen County, California · Modoc County, California
Demographics
- Population (2020)
- 486,492
- Est. Population (2026)
- 521,522
- Median Age
- 38.9
- Median Income
- $85,600
- Poverty Rate
- 10.7%
- Owner-Occupied
- 59.5%
- Racial & Ethnic Composition
- In 2023, the racial makeup was 59.7% White (Non-Hispanic), 10.1% Other (Hispanic), 7.94% Two Races Including Other (Hispanic), 5.74% White (Hispanic), and 5.41% Asian (Non-Hispanic). 25.6% of the population is Hispanic.
Governance
- Government Type
- Managed by a County Manager and governed by five elected County Commissioners
- Governing Body
- Board of County Commissioners
- Body Size
- 5 members
- School District
- Washoe County School District
- Municipal Services
- Administers and enforces state and local laws · Collects taxes · Assesses property · Records public documents · Conducts elections · Issues licenses · Provides parks · Libraries · Emergency management · Human and animal services · Public assistance · Public health · Judicial process · Planning and development
U.S. Congress
Economy
- Unemployment Rate
- 4.0%
- Economic Profile
- Tourism · Gaming · Outdoor Recreation · Technology · Manufacturing · Logistics
- Employment Sectors
- Health Care & Social Assistance · Retail Trade · Manufacturing
- Major Employers
- Tesla · Microsoft
Education
- Schools
- 113
- Students
- 63,559
- Teachers
- 3,342
- Student-Teacher Ratio
- 19:1
- School Districts
- Washoe County School District (WCSD)
- Colleges & Universities
- University of Nevada-Reno · Truckee Meadows Community College · Milan Institute of Cosmetology-Reno
Infrastructure
- Transportation
- Interstate 80 · Interstate 580 · U.S. Highway 395 · Nevada State Route 431
- Utilities
- Municipal water · Municipal power · Fiber/broadband
- Major Facilities
- Hospitals · Reno Tahoe International Airport · Courthouse
Recreation
- Outdoor Access
- Yes
- Major Recreation Areas
- Lake Tahoe · Pyramid Lake · Mount Rose · Rancho San Rafael Park · Washoe Lake State Park
- Parks & Trails
- 49 parks · 161 miles of trails · More than 10,000 acres of open space
History
- Founded
- 1861
- Named After
- Washoe People
- Historical Significance
- Early growth was dependent on the miner population as well as the rancher and farmer population that supplied them. Tourism and gaming became major industries after 1931.
- Key Events
- Part of Mexican Territory (claimed by Spanish in 1822) · Part of Utah Territory (1850) · Part of Nevada Territory (1861) · Consolidated with Roop County (1864) · Comstock Lode Mining Boom · Reno replaced Washoe City as county seat (1871)