Mount Charleston is an unincorporated town and census-designated place in Clark County, Nevada, United States. The population was 357 at the 2010 census. The town of Mount Charleston is named for nearby Mount Charleston whose Charleston Peak at 11,916 feet is the highest point in Clark County. The town of Mount Charleston is in a valley of the Spring Mountains to the northwest of Las Vegas, noted for its hiking trails, and for the Mount Charleston Lodge, a rustic hotel. At an elevation of approximately 7,500 feet, temperatures are much lower than in Las Vegas, which has an elevation of about 2,000 feet, making it a popular place for Las Vegans to vacation. The mean high temperature is 20.4 degrees cooler than in Las Vegas. The area is also known as a vacation village for wealthy Las Vegas residents.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the census-designated place of Mount Charleston has a total area of, all of it land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 285 people, 133 households, and 80 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 9.7 people per square mile. There were 362 housing units at an average density of 12.3 per square mile. The racial makeup of the CDP was 97.54% White, 1.05% African American, 0.35% Pacific Islander, 0.70% from other races, and 0.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.46% of the population. There were 133 households out of which 18.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couplesliving together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 2.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.69. In the CDP, the population was spread out with 15.8% under the age of 18, 3.9% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 45.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females, there were 119.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 124.3 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $63,125, and the median income for a family was $67,625. Males had a median income of $75,471 versus $35,938 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $38,821. None of the population or families were below the poverty line.
Mount Charleston has a cool Mediterranean climate, with some continental influence by 0 °C isoterm. Very similar to that of Flagstaff, Arizona though with rather less frequent and abundant monsoonal storms. In contrast to the arid climate of the rest of Nevada, precipitation as rain and melted snow is sufficient to support coniferous forests, with typically of snow on the ground in February and a maximum monthly snowfall in a limited record of in December 2010. Summers are markedly cooler than in the lower deserts, with the average July high being only and minima often below. On average over half of all nights are below and in extreme cold waves temperatures may fall below, with reached during the 1949 Western North Americancold wave.
