A newly released study conducted by the highlights a growing housing affordability crisis across rural Nevada. Commissioned by Nevada Rural Housing, the study provides valuable, county-specific data on housing supply, affordability and future needs – marking a critical step forward in efforts to strengthen housing outcomes in rural communities.
The study, conducted by Extension’s team, examines Nevada’s 15 rural counties plus the rural areas of Clark and Washoe counties. Additionally, the study digs deeper by providing insight into specific market areas and communities within the rural counties. The comprehensive analysis of 59 rural communities reveals only 11 of the communities have affordable homes or units at 100% of residents’ median incomes, underscoring an urgent need for policy action and targeted support.
“These studies bring Nevada’s rural housing story into focus,” Bill Brewer, executive director of Nevada Rural Housing, said. “With the data, we can make even more informed, strategic decisions that can help solve our housing challenges in more accurate and actionable ways. This work is being made available to anyone taking on these challenges, including partners, collaborators and the rural communities we serve.”
Roy Visuett, an Extension assistant research coordinator who worked on this study, agreed.
“This study is a baseline assessment of Nevada’s housing supply, demand and affordability for each county and selected communities,” Visuett said. “Whether it’s local housing planning or resource allocation, this study could assist with better understanding of current housing conditions.”
Key Findings: Nevada renters spend larger share of income on housing than homeowners
After completing the study, Extension created a report for each county that includes local data on homeownership and rental affordability, income-to-housing cost burdens, population and housing growth trends, and key market indicators.
For the purposes of this study, affordability was based on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) definition as an occupant’s monthly housing (including utilities) not exceeding 30% of adjusted gross income.
“We want to emphasize that those who spend above 30% of their monthly income on housing are considered cost burdened,” Visuett said.
A few key findings from the reports include:
- Nearly 40% of renters in several rural counties are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on rent.
- Renters remain significantly more cost-burdened than homeowners in every county, with 16 of 17 counties showing that at least 25% of renters spend over 30% of their gross income on housing.
- Homeowners are also affected with spending over 30% of their income on housing, ranging from 5.1% of homeowners in Eureka County to 29.6% of homeowners in Storey County.
- Housing supply is insufficient in many counties to meet current and projected demand, with few available homes and aging housing stock.
- Some communities face limited availability of workforce housing, creating barriers to economic growth and community stability.
- Many rural counties are experiencing longer commutes tied to lack of nearby affordable housing.
- When boosted to 120% of area median income, affordability improves to just 22 communities.
- A significant mismatch between wages and housing costs is driven by limited supply, restrictive zoning and community resistance to new development, particularly multifamily housing.
“This study helps Nevadans gain a perspective of where everything lies and to apply pressure to their elected officials to make good, informed choices to help with the market system as a whole.”
For homeownership, the team obtained the affordability price and monthly payments by using the following assumptions: annual household income, 30-year mortgage at 7.03% interest rate with zero debt, 5% down payment, property tax for that county, 0.55% of the home price for insurance, and a debt-to-income ratio that follows the 28/36 rule for conventional loans.
Previous studies: Extension emerges as key player in statewide housing and economic studies
In March 2018, Nevada Rural Housing published a series of housing studies covering Nevada’s 15 rural counties and the rural portions of Clark and Washoe counties. The studies highlighted challenges and opportunities throughout Nevada and promoted dialogue between private and public partners who are tackling the state’s housing crisis.
However, Brewer says that much has changed in Nevada’s housing crisis since then.
“The pandemic shed light on housing in new and important ways, population shifts occurred, and our affordable housing landscape and needs have evolved,” Brewer said. “What continues to ring true from 2018 to 2025: rural Nevada requires more right-fit housing solutions to accommodate its growing and changing economies.”
Extension’s Nevada Economic Assessment Project team led the most recent study after being approached by Nevada Rural Housing in 2022, following their presentation at the Nevada Association of Counties Annual Conference. The Extension presentation highlighted its unique knowledge of all parts of the state.
“Some of the most important elements in evaluating housing opportunities in rural Nevada are understanding the socioeconomic and literal landscapes of our rural communities and being able to flex into strategies to get the right information from the right sources,” Brewer said. “Oftentimes that means traveling to a rural or frontier town or city and quite literally standing in front of a property or source to collect and verify information. Extension’s team was the best partner to successfully deliver this approach due to its expert team, its understanding and experience in our rural communities, and having access to the data that’s not always easy to identify or find."
The recent study was conducted over a 24-month period and presented the most detailed county and sub-county housing affordability data to date. Extension's role focused on compiling and analyzing data across four key dimensions: demographics, housing demand, housing supply and housing affordability. Deliverables included detailed data profile reports, housing assessment and affordability analyses, and visually accessible fact sheets for each of Nevada’s 17 counties and 42 subcounty regions.
“Having a deep understanding of rural Nevada gave us a unique ability to gather accurate, community-specific data and provide meaningful insights,” Joe Lednicky, Extension economist, said. “Unlike previous studies, we knew the local context and were able to deliver not only statewide data, but also town- and city-level analyses.”
Future Extension studies to explore how housing supply aligns with community needs
In addition to this information being a tool for decision-makers, it can also be used by everyday Nevadans.
“This study helps Nevadans gain a perspective of where everything lies and to apply pressure to their elected officials to make good, informed choices to help with the market system as a whole,” Lednicky said.
The Extension team will continue working with Nevada Rural Housing to update the findings with the most current census and assessor data, as well as include future projections comparing housing supply to community needs over the next five years.
“Our housing community has done a commendable job of bringing affordable housing needs and challenges into the spotlight, creating more conversation and solutions-oriented planning than ever before,” Brewer said. “Our elected officials and key stakeholders have followed suit and understand the dire need for solutions. They also understand the need for information to fuel the decisions we make in partnership with our communities and state. Nevada Rural Housing’s partners at local governments, including elected officials and staff, have been made aware of the impending data from these studies and are eager to dig in.”
Accessing the Report
Infographic summaries and information about requesting full reports are available on the .
For more information about this study, email Visuett.
