Manufacturing in Nevada has grown significantly in the last five years, according to statewide data. The labor force has grown nearly 17 percent since the end of 2019 – notable because it came after the July 2016 opening of Tesla’s Gigafactory in Northern Nevada’s Storey County. As state and local officials look to diversify the state’s economy, they’ve courted out-of-state manufacturers through tax abatements and other coordination.
But the industry is still nowhere close to being a significant source of employment for Nevadans. It’s ranked 38th in total manufacturing employment and the total share of employment is about 4.4 percent, according to data from the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.
New and existing manufacturers say the state is well-positioned for future industry growth, even with challenges like limited infrastructure and labor.