2026 ranking

Best small towns to live in Nevada

The 25 Nevada small towns with the best mix of affordability, safety, schools and jobs, picked from 27 real small towns of 1,000 to 15,000 people — not suburbs.

1
Caliente, NV Score 71/100
1,146 people · typical home $190k · household income $72k · schools in the top 24% of NV · 1.0% unemployment · 25 mi to a hospital
2
Minden, NV Score 67/100
3,707 people · typical home $586k · household income $100k · 131 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 18% of NV · 2.0% unemployment · 13 mi to a hospital
3
Ruhenstroth, NV Score 65/100
1,682 people · typical home $670k · household income $105k · 131 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 18% of NV · 1.0% unemployment · 10 mi to a hospital
4
Gardnerville Ranchos, NV Score 63/100
12,114 people · typical home $486k · household income $88k · 131 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 18% of NV · 2.0% unemployment · 13 mi to a hospital
5
Gardnerville, NV Score 62/100
5,486 people · typical home $487k · household income $62k · 131 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 18% of NV · 2.0% unemployment · 14 mi to a hospital
6
Panaca, NV Score 62/100
1,015 people · typical home $263k · household income $64k · schools in the top 24% of NV · 1.0% unemployment · 35 mi to a hospital
7
East Valley, NV Score 61/100
1,283 people · typical home $874k · household income $125k · 131 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 18% of NV · 4.0% unemployment · 13 mi to a hospital
8
Genoa, NV Score 57/100
1,284 people · typical home $1.0M · household income $122k · 131 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 18% of NV · 4.0% unemployment · 8 mi to a hospital
9
Kingsbury, NV Score 55/100
2,209 people · typical home $1.1M · household income $96k · 131 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 18% of NV · 4.0% unemployment · 10 mi to a hospital
10
Topaz Ranch Estates, NV Score 52/100
1,621 people · typical home $289k · household income $58k · 131 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 39% of NV · 5.0% unemployment · 5 mi to a hospital
11
Fallon, NV Score 52/100
9,463 people · typical home $283k · household income $73k · 219 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 52% of NV · 4.0% unemployment · 41 mi to a hospital
12
Yerington, NV Score 51/100
3,150 people · typical home $285k · household income $58k · 127 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 76% of NV · 3.0% unemployment · 9 mi to a hospital
13
Wells, NV Score 50/100
1,352 people · typical home $205k · household income $107k · 274 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 53% of NV · 5.0% unemployment · 42 mi to a hospital
14
Carlin, NV Score 50/100
2,088 people · typical home $180k · household income $61k · 287 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 53% of NV · 2.0% unemployment · 36 mi to a hospital
15
West Wendover, NV Score 49/100
4,514 people · typical home $140k · household income $49k · 421 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 53% of NV · 1.0% unemployment · 91 mi to a hospital
16
Ely, NV Score 49/100
3,929 people · typical home $234k · household income $78k · 263 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 56% of NV · 4.0% unemployment · 19 mi to a hospital
17
Tonopah, NV Score 47/100
1,910 people · typical home $144k · household income $54k · 248 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 82% of NV · 2.0% unemployment · 76 mi to a hospital
18
Hawthorne, NV Score 46/100
2,809 people · typical home $168k · household income $67k · 220 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 94% of NV · 9.0% unemployment · 9 mi to a hospital
19
Spring Creek, NV Score 46/100
14,739 people · typical home $361k · household income $105k · 274 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 53% of NV · 4.0% unemployment · 30 mi to a hospital
20
Fallon Station, NV Score 45/100
1,399 people · typical home $330k · household income $67k · 132 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 59% of NV · 1.0% unemployment · 41 mi to a hospital
21
Moapa Valley, NV Score 41/100
6,684 people · typical home $363k · household income $89k · 277 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 41% of NV · 4.0% unemployment · 25 mi to a hospital
22
McGill, NV Score 40/100
1,050 people · typical home $177k · household income $57k · 263 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 65% of NV · 6.0% unemployment · 9 mi to a hospital
23
Winnemucca, NV Score 38/100
8,361 people · typical home $309k · household income $82k · 589 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 47% of NV · 6.0% unemployment · 18 mi to a hospital
24
Lovelock, NV Score 36/100
1,481 people · typical home $184k · household income $42k · schools in the top 71% of NV · 8.0% unemployment · 15 mi to a hospital
25
Battle Mountain, NV Score 35/100
3,518 people · typical home $204k · household income $82k · 347 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 88% of NV · 13.0% unemployment · 14 mi to a hospital

How we ranked them

Every small town in Nevada with 1,000–15,000 people that stands on its own (not part of a big metro core, by USDA rural-urban codes) and has solid Census data. Each town is scored against the others in Nevada on: affordability (household income vs. home prices), safety (violent crime, FBI), schools (reading proficiency vs. other Nevada districts), jobs (unemployment, half weight) and everyday access (distance to a hospital and a grocery store, quarter weight each). Missing numbers count as average.

The "best" town is different for everyone — weather, size, politics, things to do and more all matter too.

Get a ranking built for you

Take the free 5-minute quiz and we'll rank every place in Nevada — and the country — on what you care about.

Take the quiz →

All places in Nevada →