Counties with the highest unemployment in Nevada

In November, the national unemployment rate changed very little from October, rising from 4.1% to 4.2%. It's been slightly elevated in recent months compared to levels a year ago—likely a symptom of the Federal Reserve's higher interest rates, which can slow hiring and decrease job openings. It's up from 3.7% the year before, but for comparison, unemployment rates surged to 10% in October 2009 during the Great Recession, and a full recovery took years. At the height of the brief COVID-19 recession in April 2020, unemployment hit 14.7%.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Nevada using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in October 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Despite the slight uptick in unemployment, the labor market added 227,000 jobs in November, according to the BLS. 

In the private sector, employment increased by 146,000 jobs, with 50,000 jobs added in education and health services and another 28,000 jobs in trade, transportation, and utilities, according to ADP's National Employment Report. While Sun Belt states saw growth in manufacturing roles, other jobs diminished in the sector across the Rust Belt, which continues to see losses. 

The labor market forecast for 2025 is still somewhat uncertain. The reelection of Donald Trump and his proposal to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico may send ripples throughout the economy. A tariff increase could create an inflationary environment, shifting the labor market as inflation inches toward the 2% goal.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Nevada.

#17. White Pine County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,757 people (164 unemployed)

#16. Lander County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,273 people (129 unemployed)

#15. Elko County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,318 people (1,090 unemployed)

#14. Humboldt County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,077 people (345 unemployed)

#13. Eureka County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,091 people (48 unemployed)

#12. Pershing County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,490 people (109 unemployed)

#11. Washoe County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 267,117 people (11,879 unemployed)

#10. Storey County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,164 people (101 unemployed)

#9. Churchill County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,503 people (540 unemployed)

#8. Lincoln County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 2,115 people (102 unemployed)

#7. Douglas County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,927 people (1,113 unemployed)

#6. Carson City

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,460 people (1,304 unemployed)

#5. Esmeralda County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 486 people (25 unemployed)

#4. Clark County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1.2 million people (70,321 unemployed)

#3. Lyon County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,027 people (1,490 unemployed)

#2. Mineral County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 1,534 people (106 unemployed)

#1. Nye County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,046 people (1,331 unemployed)

This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.