Elko is the largest city in and county seat of Elko County, Nevada, United States. With a 2020 population of 20,467, Elko is currently growing at a rate of 0.31% annually and its population has increased by 11.86% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 18,297 in 2010. Elko serves as the economic hub of the Ruby Valley, a region with a population of over 55,000.
Elko is 21 miles from Lamoille Canyon and the Ruby Mountains famously dubbed the Swiss Alps of Nevada, providing year round access to recreation including hiking, skiing and hunting with access to over twenty alpine lakes.
The city straddles the Humboldt River. Most of the residents in Elko live within the Tree Streets, houses lined with trees and greenery. Spring Creek, Nevada, serves as a bedroom community 6 miles from the city with a population of 13,805.
Elko is the principal city of the Elko Micropolitan Statistical Area, a micropolitan area that covers Elko and Eureka counties. It is the largest city for over 130 miles in all directions, making it, as its city motto states, "The Heart of Northeast Nevada".