Eureka County Nevada, County Profile -- Introduction

Profile Index

Introduction

Population &
Demographics

Housing
Characteristics

Employment &
Economic Activity

Schools &
Education

Energy, Utilities
& Communications

Transportation

Government
& Taxes

Local Government
State & Federal
Elected Officials

Land Use
& Environment

Public Services
Community Services,
& Recreational

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Mining built Eureka in the late 1800s and mining today is still the major economic activity in the county. In 1998, 84 percent of all jobs were in the mining industry. However, Eureka County, Nevada

according to a study by the Center of Economic Development at the University of Nevada, Reno, mining production is expected to decrease 25 percent in the next five years, 60 percent in the next 14 years, and 100 percent by 2018 unless new reserves are discovered.

   Although agriculture does not employ as large a share of the total labor force today (only about 4 percent) as it has in the past, the industry is nevertheless vital to the county's economy. Unlike mining, agriculture has been a steady base of employment in the county.

   The agricultural economy consists of four sectors: range beef cattle, alfalfa hay, timothy hay, and native hay. The other major non-agricultural industry in Eureka County is the government which provided just over five percent of wage and salary jobs in 1998.

   In addition, travel, including tourism and recreational travel, has been more important to the economy in

recent years. Tourists and visitors positively affect the county's economy. Since the completion of the downtown facade and streetscape beautification program in 1999 and complete renovation of the Eureka Opera House, County Courthouse, and many other historic buildings, the number of persons visiting Eureka is on the rise.

According to the Eureka Sentinel Museum, which tracks visitors through its sign-in book, visitation to the museum increased to 4,140 persons in 2000 from 3,405 persons in 1999. Increased efforts to market the natural beauty of Eureka County in both travel and outdoor magazines, will increase visitation to the area.

From 1992 to 1998, the county saw an employment increase of 419 jobs. This was due mostly to the overall growth in the national economy during the same period. According to another recent report by UNR's Center for Economic Development, Eureka County is classified as a "Strong Job Growth and Strong Entrepreneurship" county because it has had employment growth greater than the national average and a ratio of entrepreneurs to workers that is greater than that of the nation.

Sources: University of Nevada, Reno, Center for Economic Development
Eureka County, Impact Assessment Report on Proposed Shipments of Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste through Eureka County, Nevada;
Eureka County, Eureka County Assisted Living Facility Feasibility Study

Labor Force Data

Labor Force Data

Total labor force
Total employed
Unemployment
Unemployment rate 2000

870
850
20
2.6%
2001

850
820
30
3.5%

Source: Nevada Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation
http://detr.state.nv.us/

It is important to note that because Eureka County's economy is primarily dependent on the mining industry however, the rate of unemployment may not be a reliable indicator of economic downturns. When a mine closes, the unemployment rate does not increase because those who were employed by the mine leave the area. Consequently, the change is seen only in a decrease of the labor force. Since 1997 the unemployment rate in Eureka County has dropped from 5.6 to 2.6 percent; however, the labor force has fallen by 7.6 percent. These numbers reflect a slowdown in mining activity in the area because a loss in the workforce can artificially lower the unemployment rate.

Sectoral Employment (1998)

Economic Sector

Agriculture
Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Transportation, Communications
& Public Utilities
Wholesale and Retail Trade
Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate
Services
Government Employment Share (1998)

4.06%
83.67%
0.93%
0.2%

0.2%
3.12%
0.2%
2.4%
5.21%

Source: University of Nevada, Reno, Center for Economic Development

Agricultural Data (1999)

Number of farms and ranches
Land in farms
Average size
Cropland
Irrigated farm land 84
214,966 acres
2,559 acres
41,125 acres
48,530 acres

Source: University of Nevada, Reno, Cooperative Extension, Fact Sheet: 00-39
http://detr.state.nv.us/

Industrial Employment (2001)

Sector

Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Transportation, Comm.
Public Utilities
Wholesale / Retail Trade
Finance & Real Estate
Services
Government
Total industries Average Number
Employed

3,560
0
0

20
70
10
10
250
3,920
Number Weekly
Wages

$1,114
$568
$0

$726
$191
$672
$421
$600
$1,063

Source: Nevada Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation
http://detr.state.nv.us/

Average Wage per Job (unadjusted dollars)

The average weekly wage and wage per job in Eureka County are substantially higher than the state averages. For example, the average wage per job in Nevada is $32,673 compared to $53,557 in Eureka County. This difference is a result of the larger proportional employment in the mining sector in Eureka County.

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
http://www.bea.doc.gov/

Personal Income (thousands of dollars)

Per Capita Personal Income (dollars)

Per capita income is commonly used to measure economic well-being because it shows how much money people have to buy goods and services. The per capita income figure is lower than average wage per job because it includes children and others not in the labor force.

At $20,855, per capita income in Eureka County for 1999 is approximately 33 percent less than the State of Nevada's average of $31,004. It is also substantially less than the national average of $28,546. Per capita income for Eureka County residents peaked at $25,942 in 1994 and has since been declining.

Note: Total personal income is the current income received by residents of an area from all sources. This includes the earnings (wages and salaries, other labor income, proprietors' income), dividends, interest, rent, and transfer payments received by the residents of Eureka County. Per capita personal income is computed by dividing the total personal income by the mid-year population estimate.

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
http://www.bea.doc.gov/

Eureka County Top Employers (June 2001)

Source: Nevada Department of Employment, Training & Rehabilitation
http://detr.state.nv.us/

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