Ruth, Nevada, 1910
Ruth’s story
122 years in pictures
The archive holds 17 old photos and papers going back to 1910 and 2 maps from 1958 on.
- 1904Ruth is settled
RuthNV
Photo: Geographer · Public domain
Population
298
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$69K
Census ACS
Median age
71.1
years
Jobs based here
6
A commuter town
Is Ruth a good place to live?
Ruth’s age of the median resident is 71.1 years, above both Nevada’s towns (40.2 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). Of the 43 Nevada towns we compare, none has a higher share of homes lived in by their owners than Ruth. Ruth has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Ruth stand out
Where Ruth beats most towns.
Small town
298 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Ruth: who provides what
Ruth is unincorporated, so White Pine County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerMt Wheeler Power9.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterRuth Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesWhite Pine CountyWhite Pine 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 hereWhite Pine County ClerkWhite Pine County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code8931989319 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 Ruth.
Work & commute
About two in three of Ruth’s working residents commute to Ely
Ruth had 6 jobs in 2023, down 44 from 2013. The share of residents in Ruth who live below the poverty line: 6.7%. Half the trips to work are shorter than 7 miles. The top destinations are Ely (66%), Elko (4%) and Reno (2%).
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In Ruth0%
Ely66%
Elko4%
Reno2%
Carson City2%
7 mi
median commute distance
6
jobs based in Ruth
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
A typical July afternoon in Ruth is 85°F, against 94°F in Nevada’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns
Expect chilly, snowy winters and warm summers in Ruth, with very little rain.
64″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–40°
Spring30–56°
Summer49–81°
Fall32–61°
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Ruth is
18% of adults smoke cigarettes in Ruth. Of 32 CDC measures, Ruth beats the Nevada average on 5 and trails it on 7.
| Ruth | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 15% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 22% | 19% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 74% | 74% | 79% |
32 measures vs. Nevada
5 better20 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Ruth | NV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 9.9% | 14.5% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 11.4% | 15.6% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.8% | 11.6% |
William Bee Ririe Hospital
7.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: primary care
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Ruth is inland flooding, at a moderate overall level
FEMA puts 47% of Ruth’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 16% to cold waves. Storm and flood damage is expected to run lower than in 58% of U.S. communities.
42risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesEarthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
$93Kmedian sale price
0
homes sold in July
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Ruth
15pages on Ruth
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Ruth; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Ruth residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Nevada.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Ruth for work
Where Ruth’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
6jobs based in Ruth
0%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Ruth
CDP in Nevada, United States
Ruth is a census-designated place (CDP) in White Pine County, Nevada, United States. Founded in 1903, it had a population of 371 at the 2020 census. Ruth was built as a company town for the adjacent Robinson Mine, a large open-pit copper mine, which is still in operation as of 2022.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,880 ft
- ZIP code
- 89319
Questions about Ruth
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ruth, NV a good place to live?
Ruth has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.