Nevada Cities by Population 2026

Nevada’s governance framework includes 17 counties and 27 incorporated cities, with counties managing vast unincorporated areas, especially in rural regions. Cities and towns oversee services in urban areas, while counties serve as the primary government in rural zones.

Las Vegas, Nevada‘s largest city, operates under a council-manager system, where an elected council provides policy direction, and a city manager handles administrative tasks. This model allows Las Vegas to manage city services like water, waste management, and public safety efficiently, with the council focusing on legislative functions.

Reno, the state’s second-largest city, uses a similar council-manager system, where the city council provides legislative oversight, and a city manager handles daily operations. This structure is effective in Reno’s urban context, allowing the council to concentrate on policy and the manager to ensure service delivery.

Counties like Clark County and Washoe County, where Las Vegas and Reno are located, manage unincorporated areas and offer services like law enforcement, health, and land management. In Clark County, for instance, the county oversees services for areas like Paradise and Enterprise, which are large unincorporated communities that function like cities without formal municipal governments.

Rural counties, such as Elko County and Nye County, manage services across wide, sparsely populated regions. In these areas, the county commissioners handle local needs, with responsibilities extending to road maintenance, public health, and law enforcement for unincorporated residents.

Unincorporated communities are prevalent in Nevada, particularly in resort and mining areas where counties provide the bulk of services. These communities rely on county governance for infrastructure and emergency response, with minimal local control unless they incorporate as municipalities.

Nevada’s regional planning boards coordinate development across counties, focusing on water resource management, land use, and transportation to support sustainable growth in both urban and rural areas.