Moving to Beatty, Nevada

by btobers · Published June 21, 2019 · Updated November 18, 2024

Beatty, Nevada is a small town with a population of 1,030 people as of 2019. It is located in the heart of Nye County in south-central Nevada, near the junction of US Highway 95 and State Route 374. The town is situated at an elevation of 3,208 feet and has a desert climate with hot summers and mild winters.

The area around Beatty has been inhabited since the mid-1800s when miners and ranchers moved into the region to prospect for gold and silver and to raise cattle. The town was named after Montillus Murray Beatty, an early settler who established a ranch in the area in 1907. Beatty was officially founded in 1905 when it became a railroad station on the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad line.

Today, much of Beatty’s economy revolves around tourism due to its proximity to Death Valley National Park and other nearby attractions such as Scotty’s Castle and Ubehebe Crater. Other industries include mining, agriculture, manufacturing, retail trade, healthcare services, construction services, lodging services, restaurants and bars.

Beatty is served by the Nye County School District which operates two schools – Beatty Elementary School (grades K-6) and Beatty High School (grades 7-12). There are also several churches in town including St Mary’s Catholic Church and First Baptist Church of Beatty.

Notable landmarks in Beatty include The Carver Mine Museum which showcases artifacts from local mining operations; The Amargosa Opera House & Hotel; Rhyolite Ghost Town; Goldwell Open Air Museum; Desert View Cemetery; Pahrump Valley Winery; Big Dune Park; Thorndike Park; Amargosa Valley Speedway; Oasis Gas Station & Cafe; Death Valley Junction Ghost Town; Red Barn Ranch; Old Spanish Trail Museum & Gallery; China Ranch Date Farm Nature Preserve & Trailhead.

Population: 1,154
Males: 628 (54.4%), Females: 526 (45.6%)

Nye County

Zip code: 89003

Demographics

Median resident age: 40.5 years
Median household income: $41,250
Median house value: $93,700

Population by Race

Races in Beatty:

White Non-Hispanic (85.4%)
Hispanic (8.9%)
American Indian (3.4%)
Two or more races (3.2%)
Other race (3.1%)
Filipino (0.5%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

Ancestries: German (18.3%), English (11.4%), Irish (10.2%), Swedish (5.7%), French (3.7%), Polish (3.1%).

Elevation: 3308 feet

Land area: 175.6 square miles

Population by Education

Beatty, Nevada is located in the Nye County in the southern part of the state. It has a population of 1,050 people according to the 2010 census. It is a small town that has seen some growth in recent years due to its proximity to Death Valley National Park, which attracts many visitors from around the world. The majority of Beatty’s population is white (75%) with Hispanic/Latino (13%), Native American (10%), and African American (2%) minorities making up the rest.

The cost of living in Beatty is relatively low compared to other parts of Nevada and the United States as a whole. The median home value is $90,000 and median rent is $572 per month, both well below national averages. Groceries and utilities are also cheaper than average while transportation costs are slightly above average due to its remote location. Healthcare costs are comparable with national averages as there are no major hospitals or medical centers located nearby. Despite these lower costs, unemployment remains above average at 8%. This could be attributed to the lack of job opportunities given its small size and remoteness from major cities.

For population 25 years and over in Beatty

High school or higher: 82.1%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 7.7%
Graduate or professional degree: 2.7%
Unemployed: 5.7%
Mean travel time to work: 18.0 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Beatty CDP

Never married: 16.3%
Now married: 58.7%
Separated: 3.9%
Widowed: 5.9%
Divorced: 15.2%

4.4% Foreign born (2.0% Europe, 1.9% Latin America, 0.5% Africa).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Beatty:

SOUTHERN INYO HOSPITAL (about 94 miles; LONE PINE, CA)
NYE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER (about 97 miles; TONOPAH, NV)
RIDGECREST REGIONAL HOSPITAL (about 111 miles; RIDGECREST, CA)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Beatty:

TONOPAH TEST RANGE (about 61 miles; TONOPAH, NV; Abbreviation: TNX)
MC CARRAN INTL (about 126 miles; LAS VEGAS, NV; Abbreviation: LAS)
NELLIS AFB (about 128 miles; LAS VEGAS, NV; Abbreviation: LSV)

Other public-use airports nearest to Beatty:

BEATTY (about 5 miles; BEATTY, NV; Abbreviation: BTY)
JACKASS AEROPARK (about 31 miles; AMARGOSA VALLEY, NV; Abbreviation: U75)
FURNACE CREEK (about 33 miles; DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, CA; Abbreviation: L06)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Beatty:

CERRO COSO COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 111 miles; RIDGECREST, CA; Full-time enrollment: 2,347)
COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN NEVADA (about 123 miles; LAS VEGAS, NV; Full-time enrollment: 13,686)
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA-LAS VEGAS (about 141 miles; LAS VEGAS, NV; Full-time enrollment: 15,686)
LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY (about 153 miles; LOMA LINDA, CA; Full-time enrollment: 2,761)
PORTERVILLE COLLEGE (about 168 miles; PORTERVILLE, CA; Full-time enrollment: 2,288)
VICTOR VALLEY COLLEGE (about 172 miles; VICTORVILLE, CA; Full-time enrollment: 4,963)
COLLEGE OF THE SEQUOIAS (about 183 miles; VISALIA, CA; Full-time enrollment: 6,295)

Schools

Public high school in Beatty:

BEATTY HS (Students: 131; Location: 1 HORNET WAY; Grades: 09 – 12)

Public primary/middle school in Beatty:

BEATTY ELEM (Students: 128; Location: 110 FOURTH STREET; Grades: PK – 08)

Libraries

Library in Beatty:

BEATTY LIBRARY DISTRICT (Operating income: $65,833; Location: PO BOX 129; 14,995 books; 599 audio materials; 715 video materials; 37 serial subscriptions)