{"id":3079,"date":"2026-07-15T21:45:53","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T04:45:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/localpolitan.com\/nevada\/?page_id=3079"},"modified":"2026-08-01T19:17:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T02:17:46","slug":"smallest-cities","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/localpolitan.com\/nevada\/smallest-cities\/","title":{"rendered":"Smallest Cities in Nevada by Population"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Last updated: August 1, 2026<\/em><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The smallest city in Nevada by population is Caliente<\/strong>, an incorporated city in Lincoln County in southeastern Nevada. Nevada\u2019s smallest cities are spread across rural counties, desert valleys, mining regions, agricultural areas, and highway corridors. Unlike the state\u2019s largest population centers, they are not concentrated in the Las Vegas Valley or the Reno\u2013Sparks area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caliente, Wells, Lovelock, Carlin, and Yerington are the five smallest incorporated Nevada cities<\/a> by population. Despite their smaller populations, these cities still serve important local roles. Some are county seats, regional service centers, historic railroad towns, mining-area communities, or rural government hubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This ranking includes only incorporated cities. It does not include Nevada\u2019s smallest communities, towns, census-designated places, or least populated settlements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Smallest Cities in Nevada Ranked by Population<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The table below ranks the smallest incorporated cities in Nevada by population. It includes Nevada cities only, not census-designated places, unincorporated towns, or smaller rural communities that are not incorporated as cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rank<\/th>City<\/th>Population<\/th>County \/ Jurisdiction<\/th>Region<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
1<\/td>Caliente<\/td>1,100<\/td>Lincoln County<\/td>Southeastern Nevada<\/td><\/tr>
2<\/td>Wells<\/td>1,330<\/td>Elko County<\/td>Northeastern Nevada<\/td><\/tr>
3<\/td>Lovelock<\/td>1,875<\/td>Pershing County<\/td>Northern Nevada<\/td><\/tr>
4<\/td>Carlin<\/td>2,498<\/td>Elko County<\/td>Northeastern Nevada<\/td><\/tr>
5<\/td>Yerington<\/td>3,549<\/td>Lyon County<\/td>Northern Nevada<\/td><\/tr>
6<\/td>Ely<\/td>4,017<\/td>White Pine County<\/td>Eastern Nevada<\/td><\/tr>
7<\/td>West Wendover<\/td>4,486<\/td>Elko County<\/td>Northeastern Nevada<\/td><\/tr>
8<\/td>Winnemucca<\/td>8,748<\/td>Humboldt County<\/td>Northern Nevada<\/td><\/tr>
9<\/td>Fallon<\/td>9,771<\/td>Churchill County<\/td>Northern Nevada<\/td><\/tr>
10<\/td>Boulder City<\/td>14,885<\/td>Clark County<\/td>Southern Nevada<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Source note:<\/strong> Population figures are from Nevada\u2019s 2025 Governor\u2019s Certified Population Estimates for incorporated cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How This Ranking Defines Nevada\u2019s Smallest Cities<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This ranking looks at incorporated cities in Nevada<\/strong> and orders them from smallest to largest by population. That means places such as Caliente, Wells, Lovelock, Carlin, and Yerington are included because they are incorporated cities, even though their populations are small.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This page does not try to rank every small place in Nevada. Many Nevada communities are smaller than Caliente, but they may be unincorporated towns, census-designated places, rural settlements, resort areas, or historic places rather than incorporated cities. Those places can be important locally, but they are different from cities for the purpose of this ranking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The focus is population, not physical size or local importance. A small Nevada city may serve a meaningful role in its county or region even with a population under 5,000. That is why this ranking should be read as a list of Nevada\u2019s smallest incorporated cities<\/strong>, not a list of the smallest places in Nevada overall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nevada\u2019s Smallest Cities: City-by-City Reference<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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1. Caliente<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Population:<\/strong> 1,100
County:<\/strong> Lincoln County
Region:<\/strong> Southeastern Nevada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caliente is the smallest incorporated city in Nevada by population. It is located in Lincoln County in southeastern Nevada and is one of the state\u2019s small rural cities outside the Las Vegas Valley and Reno-Sparks area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caliente is known for its historic railroad setting, small-city government, and location near eastern Nevada desert and mountain landscapes. Its population is much smaller than Nevada\u2019s major cities, but it remains an incorporated city with a defined local identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. Wells<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Population:<\/strong> 1,330
County:<\/strong> Elko County
Region:<\/strong> Northeastern Nevada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wells is the second-smallest incorporated city in Nevada by population. It is located in Elko County in northeastern Nevada, near major highway routes and the broader northeastern Nevada travel corridor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wells is small by population, but it has regional importance as a rural city in Elko County. Its location helps connect it with nearby ranching areas, highway traffic, and communities across northeastern Nevada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. Lovelock<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Population:<\/strong> 1,875
County:<\/strong> Pershing County
Region:<\/strong> Northern Nevada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lovelock is the third-smallest incorporated city in Nevada by population. It is located in Pershing County in northern Nevada and serves as the county seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lovelock is an example of a small Nevada city that has a larger local role than its population might suggest. Its county-seat status, highway access, and agricultural-valley setting make it an important community within Pershing County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4. Carlin<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Population:<\/strong> 2,498
County:<\/strong> Elko County
Region:<\/strong> Northeastern Nevada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carlin is the fourth-smallest incorporated city in Nevada by population. It is located in Elko County west of the city of Elko and is part of northeastern Nevada\u2019s mining and transportation region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carlin\u2019s population is small compared with Nevada\u2019s metro-area cities, but it has a distinct place in the state\u2019s rural city network. Its location along the Interstate 80 corridor gives it local and regional relevance beyond its population size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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5. Yerington<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Population:<\/strong> 3,549
County:<\/strong> Lyon County
Region:<\/strong> Northern Nevada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yerington is the fifth-smallest incorporated city in Nevada by population. It is located in Lyon County in western Nevada and serves as the county seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yerington is tied to the Mason Valley area and has a strong agricultural and local-government role. Although it is small by population, it is one of the main incorporated cities in Lyon County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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6. Ely<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Population:<\/strong> 4,017
County:<\/strong> White Pine County
Region:<\/strong> Eastern Nevada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ely is the sixth-smallest incorporated city in Nevada by population. It is located in White Pine County in eastern Nevada and serves as the county seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ely is small compared with Nevada\u2019s largest cities, but it is one of the most important regional centers in eastern Nevada. Its role as a county seat and service center gives it more regional weight than its population alone suggests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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7. West Wendover<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Population:<\/strong> 4,486
County:<\/strong> Elko County
Region:<\/strong> Northeastern Nevada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

West Wendover is the seventh-smallest incorporated city in Nevada by population. It is located in Elko County on the Nevada-Utah border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

West Wendover is small in population, but its border location gives it a distinct role in northeastern Nevada. It is one of several smaller incorporated cities that help define Nevada\u2019s population geography outside the state\u2019s two largest metro areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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8. Winnemucca<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Population:<\/strong> 8,748
County:<\/strong> Humboldt County
Region:<\/strong> Northern Nevada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winnemucca is the eighth-smallest city in this ranking of Nevada\u2019s incorporated cities. It is located in Humboldt County in northern Nevada and serves as the county seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Winnemucca is larger than the smallest rural cities on this list, but it remains much smaller than Nevada\u2019s major metro-area cities. Its location along the Interstate 80 corridor gives it an important role in northern Nevada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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9. Fallon<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Population:<\/strong> 9,771
County:<\/strong> Churchill County
Region:<\/strong> Northern Nevada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fallon is the ninth-smallest city in this ranking. It is located in Churchill County in western Nevada and serves as the county seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fallon is connected with agriculture, military activity, and regional services in Churchill County. Its population is below 10,000, but it is still one of the main incorporated cities in northern Nevada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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10. Boulder City<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Population:<\/strong> 14,885
County:<\/strong> Clark County
Region:<\/strong> Southern Nevada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boulder City is the tenth-smallest incorporated city in Nevada by population. It is located in Clark County southeast of Las Vegas and near Lake Mead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boulder City is much smaller than Las Vegas, Henderson, and North Las Vegas, but it is larger than Nevada\u2019s smallest rural cities. It closes out this ranking because Nevada has a relatively small number of incorporated cities overall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Small Nevada Places That Are Not Incorporated Cities<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nevada has many small places that are not included in this ranking because they are not incorporated cities. Some are unincorporated towns, census-designated places, rural settlements, historic mining communities, resort areas, or local place names used for maps, mailing addresses, and regional identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples may include places such as Austin, Beatty, Goldfield, Tonopah, Pioche, Gerlach, Virginia City, Gabbs, Panaca, and Rachel. These places can be important to Nevada history, tourism, mining, ranching, transportation, or county government, but they are not ranked in the main table because this page is focused on incorporated cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This distinction is especially useful in Nevada because some of the state\u2019s best-known small places are not cities at all. A place can be locally important, historically significant, or widely recognized without being an incorporated city. Caliente ranks as Nevada\u2019s smallest incorporated city, but it is not the smallest named place or smallest community in the state overall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Smallest Cities in Nevada by Region<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nevada\u2019s smallest incorporated cities are spread across several regions instead of being concentrated in one metro area. Most are located outside the Las Vegas Valley and Reno-Sparks area, with several tied to rural counties, Interstate 80, historic railroad routes, agricultural valleys, and eastern Nevada service areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Region<\/th>Smallest Cities in This Ranking<\/th>Notes<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Southeastern Nevada<\/td>Caliente<\/td>Caliente is the smallest incorporated city in Nevada and is located in Lincoln County.<\/td><\/tr>
Northeastern Nevada<\/td>Wells, Carlin, West Wendover<\/td>Northeastern Nevada includes several small incorporated cities in Elko County.<\/td><\/tr>
Northern Nevada<\/td>Lovelock, Winnemucca, Fallon<\/td>These cities are tied to northern Nevada counties, county-seat functions, agriculture, and highway corridors.<\/td><\/tr>
Western \/ Mason Valley Area<\/td>Yerington<\/td>Yerington is a small incorporated city in Lyon County and serves as a local government and agricultural center.<\/td><\/tr>
Eastern Nevada<\/td>Ely<\/td>Ely is small by population but serves as a major regional center for White Pine County and eastern Nevada.<\/td><\/tr>
Southern Nevada<\/td>Boulder City<\/td>Boulder City is much smaller than the Las Vegas Valley\u2019s largest cities, but it is still larger than Nevada\u2019s smallest rural cities.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This regional pattern shows why Nevada\u2019s smallest cities are different from its largest cities. The top of Nevada\u2019s population ranking is dominated by Clark County and Washoe County, while the lower end includes smaller incorporated cities across Lincoln, Elko, Pershing, Lyon, White Pine, Humboldt, Churchill, and Clark counties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Frequently Asked Questions About the Smallest Cities in Nevada<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What is the smallest city in Nevada?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The smallest city in Nevada by population is Caliente<\/strong>. Caliente is an incorporated city in Lincoln County in southeastern Nevada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What are the five smallest cities in Nevada?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The five smallest incorporated cities in Nevada are Caliente, Wells, Lovelock, Carlin, and Yerington<\/strong>. Each has a much smaller population than Nevada\u2019s major cities such as Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Reno, and Sparks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Is Caliente the smallest place in Nevada?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No. Caliente is the smallest incorporated city<\/strong> in Nevada, but it is not the smallest named place or smallest community in the state. Nevada has many smaller unincorporated towns, rural settlements, historic places, and census-designated places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why are places like Tonopah, Beatty, and Virginia City not ranked as cities?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tonopah, Beatty, Virginia City, and many other small Nevada places are not included in the main ranking because they are not incorporated cities. They may be well-known locally, historically important, or commonly shown on maps, but this page ranks incorporated cities only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is the smallest city in Northern Nevada?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Among the cities in this ranking, Lovelock<\/strong> is one of the smallest incorporated cities in Northern Nevada. It is located in Pershing County and serves as the county seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is the smallest city in Southern Nevada?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Among incorporated cities, Caliente<\/strong> is the smallest city in Southern Nevada and the smallest city in Nevada overall. Boulder City also appears in this ranking, but it has a much larger population than Nevada\u2019s smallest rural cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why is Boulder City included if it has more than 14,000 people?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Boulder City is included because Nevada has a relatively small number of incorporated cities. Even though Boulder City is much larger than Caliente, Wells, Lovelock, and Carlin, it still falls within the ten smallest incorporated cities in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Explore More Nevada Resources<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n