Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 5,486, settled in 1881.
The picture is mixed. Its weakest subject is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $612K, 6.7 years of the Gardnerville Ranchos area’s $91K median household income. It also trails on hazard risk: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 88% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. Walkability is its strong suit: it is more walkable than 94% of U.S. towns. Schools are another plus (B+): its schools outperform 68% of the state's. Put together, the subjects come to a B− overall, ranking 6th of 42 in Nevada. Nationally, it does better than 47% of U.S. towns. The town has 7 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Wilhelm and William Lampe Ranch and Carson Valley Hospital.
Figures: schools, state test and graduation results · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index · National Register of Historic Places.
Where Gardnerville beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Nevada), ordered by how far Gardnerville is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 2,177 in 1990, 6,211 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1850 and 3 maps from 1889 on.
7 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Gardnerville is unincorporated, so Douglas County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Gardnerville.
Gardnerville has schools in the top 5% of Nevada, has a shorter frost-free season than nearly all U.S. towns and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
Of the losses FEMA expects in Gardnerville, 59% come from earthquakes and 33% from inland flooding. One claim on flood insurance has been paid out locally since 1997.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
That grade ranks #2 of the 42 Nevada towns we grade for schools.
Its two schools are below. The public schools here belong to the Douglas school district. 2 public schools serve Gardnerville, with 891 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson Valley Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 591 | A− |
| Gardnerville Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 300 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NV on state tests and graduation
Gardnerville’s midpoint age stands at 55.7 years, where Nevada’s towns sit at 39.9 years and U.S. towns at 40.5 years. People 65 and older are just over a third of residents (17% statewide); children under 18 are 12% of residents (22% statewide). Only 3 of the 42 Nevada towns we compare have a lower share of children under 18 than Gardnerville. 27% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 28% across Nevada.
| Gardnerville | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 34% | 17% | 18% |
| Median age | 55.7 years | 39.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 12% | 21% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 27% | 22% | 29% |
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.3 points. Across Nevada, 49.6% of residents are women.
| Gardnerville | NV | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 6% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.9% | 8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.5% | 14.4% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9.2% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.9% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.3% | 12.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 20.9% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 13.1% | 6.7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.1% | 12.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31% | 27.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 25.4% | 23.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.5% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 17.4% | 18.1% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.6% | 9.8% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
At 6.7 years of the Gardnerville Ranchos area’s $91K median household income, the typical home (about $612K) costs more against local pay than in 83% of Nevada towns; that ratio is one input to that grade. Values rose 2.2% in the past year while the Nevada typical home fell 1.6%.
A home in Gardnerville typically sold within 42 days of listing. In Gardnerville, 52% of households own their home, below both Nevada’s towns (70%) and U.S. towns (73%). Zillow values the typical Gardnerville home at about $612,000, 39% above the Nevada typical home.
| Gardnerville | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 52% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,241 a month | $1,419 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The Minden weather station records that the frost-free season runs about 119 days, shorter than in 97% of U.S. towns.
A winter brings about 22 inches of snow, with January nights at 23° and July afternoons at 91°.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Against the 9,474 U.S. towns with household incomes like Gardnerville’s, it is healthier than 86%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income.
In Gardnerville, 9.5% of adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance. Against the Nevada average, Gardnerville comes out ahead on 13 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 5. Two figures for adults locally: 33% sleep under 7 hours, 14% binge drink. Only 2 of the 42 Nevada towns we compare have a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Gardnerville.
| Gardnerville | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 33% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 38% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 36% | 33% |
| What stands out | Gardnerville | NV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.8% | 15.6% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 9.5% | 14.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.6% | 7.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Gardnerville has about as many jobs (2,189) as working residents, but only 359 people both live and work here. Jobs based here grew from 1,602 in 2013 to 2,189.
Gardnerville’s typical household income comes in at $62,000. For most workers, Gardnerville is a place to come home to: only 14% work in town. Jobs in Gardnerville grew by 587 from 2013 to 2023, reaching 2,189. The top destinations are Minden (17%), Carson City (15%) and Reno (10%).
| Gardnerville | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $78,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 19% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Gardnerville’s trail network density stands at 1.1 miles per square mile. 5.3 miles of trail wind through 3 parks and preserves. The biggest place to walk is Lampe Park, 46 acres with 1.1 miles of trail.
| Gardnerville | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.1 miles per square mile | 2.0 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.8% | 5.5% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lampe Park | 1.1 mi | 46 |
| 2. Stodick Park | — | 15 |
| 3. Heritage Park Community Garden | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Gardnerville. Close and well known come first.
Big draw19 mi LakeLake Tahoe
39 mi LakeDonner Lake
33 mi Ski areaPalisades Tahoe Olympic Valley122 runs · 2,542 ft vertical9 mi Ski areaHeavenly Mountain Resort141 runs · 3,370 ft vertical
19 mi State parkEmerald Bay State Park
23 mi Park & preserveDesolation WildernessLake Tahoe: Lara Farhadi, CC BY 2.0 · Donner Lake: J.smith, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Palisades Tahoe Olympic Valley: Jonnyboyca at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Emerald Bay State Park: Michael, CC BY 2.0 · Desolation Wilderness: Phreakdigital at English Wikipedia, GFDL
1 within 15 miles of the center of Gardnerville
About 3 of every 100 Gardnerville residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Nevada.
7 places in Gardnerville on the National Register of Historic Places.
Unincorporated town in the State of Nevada, United States
Gardnerville is an unincorporated town in Douglas County, Nevada, United States, adjacent to the county seat of Minden. The population was 6,211 at the 2020 census. U.S. Route 395 runs through the center of Gardnerville. State Route 207, known as Kingsbury Grade, connects Gardnerville to Stateline and U.S. Route 50.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
3 towns share a border with Gardnerville.
| Town | NV rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gardnerville | #6 | B− | C | — | B+ | B |
| East Valley | — | — | C− | — | B+ | B+ |
| Minden | #5 | B− | D | — | B+ | B+ |
| Gardnerville Ranchos | #8 | C+ | C+ | — | B+ | B |
East Valley has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Gardnerville, East Valley, Minden and Gardnerville Ranchos report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Gardnerville with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Gardnerville grades B− overall, better than 47% of U.S. towns and #6 of 42 in Nevada. It grades B for health and B+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
