Research · updated 2026-08-13 · download the county-level CSV
Nevada Well Depth & Drilling Cost Index
Drilling a private water well in Nevada means paying by the foot — so the two questions every well owner asks are how deep and how much. We computed both for all 17 counties with enough records to be reliable, from 145,645 official NDWR well records.
Statewide, the median well reaches 140 ft, and a complete system — drilling, casing, pump, pressure tank, and hookup — typically runs $5,640–$9,400. But the county spread is large:
Deepest counties to drill in Nevada
| County | Median depth | Typical depth range | Complete system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eureka County | 360 ft | 175 ft–760 ft | $23,100–$38,500 |
| Esmeralda County | 300 ft | 185 ft–516 ft | $30,600–$51,000 |
| Storey County | 270 ft | 163 ft–397 ft | $18,900–$31,500 |
| Lander County | 245 ft | 100 ft–600 ft | $18,000–$30,000 |
| Pershing County | 220 ft | 115 ft–400 ft | $12,480–$20,800 |
Most expensive counties to drill in Nevada
| County | Complete system | Drilling & casing only | Median depth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Esmeralda County | $30,600–$51,000 | $12,750–$33,150 | 300 ft |
| Eureka County | $23,100–$38,500 | $9,625–$25,025 | 360 ft |
| White Pine County | $21,600–$36,000 | $9,000–$23,400 | 201 ft |
| Storey County | $18,900–$31,500 | $7,875–$20,475 | 270 ft |
| Lander County | $18,000–$30,000 | $7,500–$19,500 | 245 ft |
Download the full county table (CSV)
How to read this
- Depth is measured; cost is modeled. Depths are the median of recorded drilled depths per county. Cost applies published Nevada per-foot drilling rates to that local median depth — a planning estimate, not a quote. Actual bids vary with geology, casing, site access, and water depth.
- Counties below 30 records are excluded so a thin sample can't produce a misleading superlative.
- Records are drilling events from the state database, which include some replacement and abandoned wells; deeper counties reflect real local geology (bedrock, aquifer depth).
Sources & methodology
- Nevada well records: NDWR (refreshed weekly; see our general methodology).
- Percentiles (p25/median/p75) computed per county; cost from published per-foot rate ranges applied to the local median depth.
The county table is free to use with attribution to Nevada Well Data (nevadawelldata.com). For a specific county, a custom cut, or the underlying records, email [email protected] — usually same-day.
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