Fact Check: Populations of Las Vegas, Reno Keep Growing Despite Heat

CLAIM: A moderator for NBC News’s 2020 Democrat presidential primary debate suggested climate change in the cities of Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, has put the regions in dire need of intervention by the federal government.

VERDICT: The heat may be rising in Las Vegas and Reno, but that has not caused Americans to move out of the two cities. Quite the opposite, the populations of Las Vegas and Reno have steadily grown each over the last 30 years.

“What you might not know is that Las Vegas and Reno are the vibrant economic engines for the state of Nevada and are also two of the fastest-warming cities in the country,” the moderator said during Wednesday’s debate. “In certain months of the year, the heat is already an emergency situation for residents and for tourists walking up and down the strip.”

Meanwhile, the populations of Las Vegas and Reno have boomed since 1990. In Las Vegas, the population stood at about 260,000 residents 30 years ago. Today, the Las Vegas population has grown to nearly 642,000 residents. This represents a nearly 143 percent increase in the population since 1990.

Likewise, the population of Reno was 135,600 residents in 1990. Fast-forward to today, nearly 250,000 residents now live in Reno — an increase of about 85 percent in 30 years.

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.