Nevada Central Railroad 1883, 1883
Battle Mountain’s story
160 years in pictures
The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1883 and 2 maps from 1957 on.
- 1866Battle Mountain is settled
Battle MountainNV
Photo: Famartin · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
3,518
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$286K
+4.4% in a year
Household income
$82K
median
Median age
34.6
years
Jobs based here
1,561
Balanced
TownGrade
B−
#7 of 42 in NV
Is Battle Mountain a good place to live?
Where it falls short is health: CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 86% of the country. Cost of living is its strong suit (A+) — a typical home costs about $286K, 3.2 years of the county’s $89K median household income. Add walkability to its strengths: it is more walkable than 87% of U.S. towns. Overall, that makes a B−, good for 7th of 42 in Nevada. Nationally, it does better than 46% of U.S. towns. 36% of working residents work locally in Battle Mountain, above both Nevada’s towns (16%) and U.S. towns (8%). Only 2 of the 41 Nevada towns we compare have a lower median rent than Battle Mountain. The town’s concentration of trails is 1.8 miles per square mile, against 2.0 in Nevada’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns.
Figures: home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · health, CDC PLACES · Census LEHD, 2023 · OpenStreetMap.
What makes Battle Mountain stand out
Where Battle Mountain beats most towns.
Typical home value
Battle Mountain$286K
Nevada$441K
Cost of livingA+
More affordable than 96% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
WalkabilityA
More walkable than 87% of U.S. towns
15.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
0historic places
History
Settled in 1866
A long history
A history going back 160 years.
How Battle Mountain grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Nevada), ordered by how far Battle Mountain is from typical.
Its grades run from A+ for cost of living (better than 96% of comparable towns) to D for health (better than 14%), so the B− overall blends very different results.
Cost of livingHomes are very affordable for local incomesA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.8 of 20; 4.2% of households have no carAOpen →HealthBattle Mountain General Hospital 1 miles awayDOpen →Hazard riskWildfire tops the listC−Open →Jobs & income$82K median household incomeC−Open →SchoolsBased on how pupils do in exams and testsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Housing market$286K typical home, up 4.4% in a year–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 34.6; 18% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Battle Mountain: who provides what
Battle Mountain is unincorporated, so Lander County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerNV Energy13.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLander Co Sewer and Water Dist 1 Bm1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers87% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesLander CountyLander County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Nevada you can register online until 5 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereLander County ClerkLander County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2023
ZIP code8982089820 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Battle Mountain.
Battle Mountain trades lower home prices for longer drives to work and has hotter summers than nearly all U.S. towns, but it has lost a quarter or more of its jobs in ten years.
HealthD
For health, Battle Mountain earns a D
In Battle Mountain, 39% of adults sleep under 7 hours. Among 42 Nevada towns, just 4 have a higher share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Battle Mountain.
14%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade
| Battle Mountain | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 71% | 74% | 79% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 15% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 22% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Nevada
0 better21 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Battle Mountain | NV |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.9% | 11.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.5% | 7.1% |
| More smokers | 19.4% | 14.6% |
Battle Mountain General Hospital
1 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental
17th
percentile among NV towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB−
Battle Mountain’s schools rank behind 53% of Nevada districts
The largest public high school is Battle Mountain High School, with 309 students. The public schools here belong to the Lander school district. Its two schools are below.
47%of NV districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Mountain Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 432 | B− |
| Battle Mountain High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 309 | B |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NV on state tests and graduation
HousingCost of living grade A+
For cost of living, Battle Mountain earns an A+
Homes are within reach (about $286K for the typical one, A+ for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 38 miles. Values rose 4.4% in the past year while the Nevada typical home fell 1.6%.
The typical home value in Battle Mountain is about $286,000, 35% below the Nevada typical home. The town’s median rent comes in at $899 a month. Also worth knowing: 73% of Battle Mountain households own their home.
$286KZillow home value
| Battle Mountain | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $899 a month | $1,419 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 67% | 73% |
Typical home value
Battle Mountain$286K
Nevada$441K
+4.4%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Natural hazards: high risk in Battle Mountain, mostly wildfire
Of the losses FEMA expects in Battle Mountain, 37% come from wildfires and 30% from inland flooding. Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 78% of U.S. communities.
78risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
WildfireInland floodingDrought
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsB+
3% of the land in Battle Mountain is protected from building
11 miles of trail wind through 3 parks and preserves.
#27for trails in NV
| Battle Mountain | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.8 miles per square mile | 2.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3% | 5.5% | 4.3% |
3%
conserved · 118 of 3,896 acres
11 mi
of trails · 1.8 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Duck Pond Park | — | 4 |
| 2. Borealis Park | — | 3 |
| 3. Elquist Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Expect four seasons and hot summers in Battle Mountain
July afternoons average 95.2°, hotter than in 96% of U.S. towns; January nights average 21.1°.
The town’s peak summer temperature stands at 95°F. About 21 inches of snow falls in a winter.
21″snow a winter
| Battle Mountain | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 95°F | 94°F | 85°F |
| January low | 21°F | 25°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–44°
Spring35–64°
Summer53–91°
Fall35–68°
Sep 29
typical first frost
May 9
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
About one in three working residents works right in Battle Mountain
Jobs based here fell from 2,600 in 2013 to 1,561.
Between 2013 and 2023, jobs in Battle Mountain dropped by 1,039, to 1,561. In Battle Mountain, the typical journey to work is 20 minutes. The top destinations are Elko (7%), Reno (4%) and Sparks (3%).
36%work in town
| Battle Mountain | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 36% | 16% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Battle Mountain36%
Elko7%
Reno4%
Sparks3%
Winnemucca3%
38 mi
median commute distance
1,561
jobs based in Battle Mountain
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 87% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Battle Mountain
16pages on Battle Mountain
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Battle Mountain; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Battle Mountain residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Nevada.
About Battle Mountain
Unincorporated town in the State of Nevada, United States
Battle Mountain is an unincorporated town in and the county seat of Lander County, Nevada, United States. The population was 3,705 at the 2020 census. Its primary economic base is gold mining and, to a lesser extent, legalized gambling. The town is located on Interstate 80 between Winnemucca and Elko.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1866
- Area
- 3.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 4,511 ft
- ZIP code
- 89820
- Area code
- 775
Questions about Battle Mountain
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Battle Mountain, NV a good place to live?
Battle Mountain grades B− overall, better than 46% of U.S. towns and #7 of 42 in Nevada. It grades D for health and B− for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Battle Mountain, NV expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.