The ‘center’ of Nevada is closer to Las Vegas than you think

Addy Bink
·2 min read
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(NEXSTAR) — When you think of the heart of Nevada, you probably think of somewhere in the state’s sparsely populated center, far from the bright lights of Las Vegas. Perhaps it’s a small town in the mountains along Route 50, or an arid landscape in the middle of nowhere with tumbleweeds blowing in the distance.

The correct answer, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, is closer to Vegas than you might think.

Since the first census in 1790, the Census Bureau has been calculating the “center of population” in the country. This is a point where an imaginary, flat, weightless, and rigid map of the U.S. would balance perfectly if everyone were of identical weight. It is the average location of where people in the U.S. live, according to the Census Bureau.

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Data from the 2020 census found Hartville, Missouri, is the “heart” of America. Since 1980, Missouri towns have been the population centers, but the first-ever center in 1790 was in Maryland, just east of Baltimore.

In addition to calculating the center of population for the U.S., the Census Bureau is also able to calculate the “heart” of each state, including Nevada.

Based on the latest census, Illinois’ center of population is located at 37° 00′ 57″N, 116° 10′ 26″W. That lands us in an area of Nye County, amid old Cold War nuclear test sites, about 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

You can see the center of Nevada’s current population on the interactive map here:

The state’s “center” is quite remote and off the main roads. The closest town appears to be Amargosa Valley on Route 95.

This is the farthest south Nevada’s center has been since the Census first tracked it in 1880. As Las Vegas’ population has boomed, it has dragged the state’s population center closer and closer.

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You can see on the map below, the first calculated “center” back in 1880 was much closer to Reno and the state’s geographic center.

You can view the progress of Nevada’s population center in the interactive map below.

It’s too soon to tell where Nevada’s next population center will be in 2030, but it will likely creep even closer to Las Vegas city limits. The metro area remains one of the fastest growing in the nation.

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