Guinn OKs population statistics

Tuesday, March 7, 2000 | 10:49 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Kenny Guinn has certified that Nevada's population stood at 1,967,650 as of July 1, with 68.2 percent of the people living in Clark County.

The population estimates, compiled by the office of the state demographer at the University of Nevada, Reno, shows Mesquite the fastest-growing city in Nevada at 16.6 percent compared with July 1998. Eureka County posted a 17.7 percent population increase in the year-to-year comparison as the fastest-growing county, but it only has 1,930 residents.

Only two counties -- Lander and Mineral -- lost population from the year before. The number of people in Lander County declined by 0.4 percent to 7,010 and Mineral County by 2.6 percent to 6,450.

The figures mirror previous estimates made by the demographer's office. Since then, all appeals by cities to correct their population figures have been resolved.

The numbers are used in dividing tax revenue among local governments.

The 6 percent statewide growth from July 1, 1998, to July 19, 1999, was the highest since 1996 when it hit 6.7 percent.

As reported previously, Henderson became the second-largest city in Nevada with an estimated population of 177,030, surpassing Reno at 176,910.

Henderson grew 11.1 percent from 1998 to 1999; Boulder City rose 0.9 percent to 14,860; Las Vegas increased by 5.4 percent to 465,050; Mesquite shot up by 16.6 percent to 14,070 and North Las Vegas achieved a growth rate of 9.9 percent with 117,250 residents.

The demographer's office reported 58 percent of the people in Clark County live inside city boundaries. The others are in unincorporated areas, such as the major townships of Paradise, with 172,360, and Sunrise Manor at 152,900.

North Las Vegas is the fourth largest city in the state, followed by Sparks at 64,120 and Carson City at 52,620.

Nye County grew by 12.6 percent to 33,550 residents. The increase was spurred by a 22 percent jump in Pahrump, which had a 24,500 population, far exceeding the Nye County seat of Tonopah, where the population dropped 8.2 percent to 3,010.

Esmeralda County had the smallest population, 1,520.