A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $210 more a month in Elko

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Elko$2,040/mo

Typical home $363K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.43% · or rent about $1,267/mo · Housing →

Whitney$1,830/mo

Typical home $329K (Census) · tax rate 0.37% · or rent about $1,574/mo · Housing →

The difference: $210 a month, about $2,500 a year, between Elko and Whitney.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Elko places higher on 11 of 21 NV lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Nevada ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

CElkoSafer than 28% of U.S. towns –WhitneyNot graded

Schools

CElkoBetter than 32% of districts in the state C+WhitneyBetter than 42% of districts in the state

Health

C+ElkoHealthier than 40% of U.S. towns C−WhitneyHealthier than 23% of U.S. towns

11Elko

10Whitney

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Rent easiest to affordCost of living · 22 towns #2#13 Best schoolsSchools · 41 towns #21#40 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 41 towns #38#20 Lowest obesityHealth · 42 towns #37#21 Highest graduation rateSchools · 41 towns #35#20 Most walkableOutdoors · 42 towns #19#4 Cheapest rentCost of living · 41 towns #16#30 Fastest growingGrowth · 42 towns #21#7

Left end = #1 in Nevada. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Elko’s rankings →

Where they are

330 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ElkoNV WhitneyNV

Elko ↔ Whitney330 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Nevada average

ElkoWhitney

People

Population 20,696Lowest 47,221Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +12.4%Lowest NV: +15% +27.2%Highest NV: +15%

Median age 33.2±1.4Lowest 15% below NV 35.5±1.9Highest 9% below NV

Whitney and Elko are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 24.4%±2.3Highest NV: 21.7% 23.7%±1.7Lowest NV: 21.7%

Elko and Whitney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 12.4%±1.8Lowest NV: 17% 14.6%±1.2Highest NV: 17%

Whitney and Elko are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 17.2%Lowest NV: 27.9% 18.5%Highest NV: 27.9%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.9%±1.3Lowest NV: 5.2% 6%±1.4Highest NV: 5.2%

Whitney and Elko are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $79,036±$9kHighest about the NV average $67,155±$4kLowest 14% below NV

Elko and Whitney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $309,100±$19kLowest 29% below NV $329,000±$9kHighest 24% below NV

Whitney and Elko are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,267±$76Lowest 21% below NV $1,574±$78Highest about the NV average

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,344Highest 34% below NV $1,219Lowest 40% below NV

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.3%±6.6Lowest NV: 55.9% 54.4%±6Highest NV: 55.9%

Below poverty line 13.8%Lowest NV: 12.4% 14.6%Highest NV: 12.4%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 62.6%Highest NV: 60% 55.1%Lowest NV: 60%

Typical home builtmedian year 1988Lowest 8 yrs older than NV 2002Highest 6 yrs newer than NV

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 27 minLowest 7% above NV 28 minHighest 15% above NV

Work from home 3%±1.3Lowest NV: 11.9% 8.5%±2Highest NV: 11.9%

Work in townworking residents 55.6%Highest 1.3%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 2.8 miLowest 7.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.44Highest 0.17Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Carlin (2%)Paradise (32%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in WhitneyFew work in Elko

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 16.2%Highest 7.5%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 38.3 miHighest 19.4 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.2 miLowest 2.9 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 10Highest 4Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 42.9Lowest 137Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #21 of 41 in NV #40 of 41 in NV

School district ElkoClark County

High school in town Elko High SchoolNone in town

Students per teacherat that high school 21.3 —

Nevada average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Elko neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Elko’s Town Square.

Whitney neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Whitney’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Elko

+ Compare

Fernley24,225 people · $367K homes

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Fallon9,463 people · $283K homes

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Winnemucca8,361 people · $309K homes

+ Compare

Boulder City14,919 people · $436K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Nevada towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Elko vs Whitney

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Elko gets 41 more inches of snow a year

A typical home costs $210 more a month in Elko

Elko places higher on 11 of 21 NV lists

330 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Elko and Whitney

Towns like Elko

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