Jobs, pay and daily life in Elko, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Elko is a city in Nevada with 20,696 residents. The median household earns $79,036 a year and the median rent is $1,267 a month, which is 19.2% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Elko compares. Among the 60 largest places in Nevada, Elko is #18 by population, #54 for remote work (#1 = most), #48 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #44 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Elko County, is #12 of 17 counties for average pay ($64,165).
Elko has 20,696 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.6% of the population of Nevada. It covers 18 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,160 people per square mile. The median age is 33.2, 15% younger than the state median (33.2 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $1,267 a month (rent plus utilities), 21% below the state median ($1,267 against $1,597). Over a year that is 19.2% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $309,100, which is 3.9 times the median household income ($79,036); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 62.5% of households own their home, 4% above the state average (62.5% against 60.0%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Elko County was 3.0%. 68.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Elko County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 62.5% drive alone, 11.2% use public transit, 3.4% walk, 3.0% work from home. 22.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 109% above the state average (22.8% against 10.9%).
17.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 38% below the state share (17.2% against 27.9%). 8.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 57% below the state share (8.2% against 19.1%). The poverty rate is 13.8%, 11% above the state rate (13.8% against 12.4%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 73°F (22.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 24°F (-4.5°C). About 429 mm (17 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (61 mm) and Jul the driest (12 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Osino (9 miles); Spring Creek (11 miles, rent 9% higher); Carlin (20 miles, rent 6% lower); Wells (47 miles, rent 23% lower). Rent differences are against Elko; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Nevada (347) →State guide: NevadaCountry guideElko CountyNevada rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 347 federal postings open in Nevada (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 20.9% |
| Education and health care | 17.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 15.9% |
| Retail trade | 8.2% |
| Construction | 6.5% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.8% |
| Manufacturing | 5.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.8% |
| Other services | 4.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.6% |
| Public administration | 3.0% |
| Information | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Elko lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elko County | 54,047 | $3,995 million | $73,912 | 22,205 | 1,413 | $64,165 | -0.9% | 3.0% | 27,526 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 4,765 | 25.9% | $34,930 | 2.36 |
| Retail trade | 2,638 | 14.3% | $39,275 | 1.19 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,811 | 9.8% | $58,961 | 0.57 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 1,656 | 9.0% | $113,371 | 19.72 |
| Construction | 1,598 | 8.7% | $80,813 | 1.37 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,421 | 7.7% | $110,251 | 1.62 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 689 | 3.7% | $72,277 | 0.73 |
| Professional and technical services | 685 | 3.7% | $73,723 | 0.44 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 616 | 3.3% | $63,646 | 0.92 |
| Administrative and waste services | 538 | 2.9% | $48,993 | 0.41 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 446 | 2.4% | $32,045 | 1.19 |
| Management of companies | 272 | 1.5% | $248,482 | 0.73 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 259 | 1.4% | $38,521 | 1.44 |
| Finance and insurance | 253 | 1.4% | $70,925 | 0.28 |
| Real estate and rental | 240 | 1.3% | $50,805 | 0.70 |
| Manufacturing | 162 | 0.9% | $72,021 | 0.09 |
| Utilities | 151 | 0.8% | $116,263 | 1.79 |
| Information | 123 | 0.7% | $65,189 | 0.30 |
| Educational services | 88 | 0.5% | $33,584 | 0.19 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 62.5% |
| Public transit | 11.2% |
| Walk | 3.4% |
| Work from home | 3.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 22.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $79,036 |
| Income per person | $37,142 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,267 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.2% |
| Median home value | $309,100 |
| Homeowners | 62.5% |
| Poverty rate | 13.8% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 33.2 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 85.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 17.2% |
| Born abroad | 8.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 68.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -4.5 | 24 | 47 |
| Feb | -2.2 | 28 | 36 |
| Mar | 2.2 | 36 | 46 |
| Apr | 5.6 | 42 | 57 |
| May | 11.3 | 52 | 47 |
| Jun | 17.3 | 63 | 20 |
| Jul | 22.9 | 73 | 12 |
| Aug | 21.4 | 71 | 13 |
| Sep | 16.0 | 61 | 22 |
| Oct | 8.2 | 47 | 29 |
| Nov | 1.4 | 35 | 39 |
| Dec | -4.4 | 24 | 61 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osino | NV | 9 mi | 1,341 | $92,756 | n/a |
| Spring Creek | NV | 11 mi | 14,739 | $105,154 | $1,386 |
| Carlin | NV | 20 mi | 2,088 | $60,898 | $1,197 |
| Wells | NV | 47 mi | 1,352 | $107,454 | $976 |
| Battle Mountain | NV | 63 mi | 3,518 | $81,857 | $899 |
| West Wendover | NV | 89 mi | 4,514 | $49,013 | $611 |
| Jackpot | NV | 97 mi | 1,415 | n/a | $725 |
| Winnemucca | NV | 103 mi | 8,361 | $81,824 | $965 |
| Ely | NV | 119 mi | 3,929 | $77,500 | $950 |
| Buhl | ID | 132 mi | 4,673 | $55,568 | $1,148 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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20,696 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,267 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.2% of the median household income.
$79,036 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.0% (BLS county, Elko County (latest month 2026M09)).
Nevada. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.