Primm, Nevada

Primm (formerly known as State Line) is an unincorporated town in Clark County, Nevada, United States, primarily notable for its position straddling Interstate 15 at the Nevada–California border. It sits on Ivanpah Dry Lake, which extends to the north and south of town. Primm was initially known as State Line and started as a small motel and coffee shop built by Ernest Primm (1901–1981) in the 1950s. Over the years, Primm grew, with Gary Primm, Ernest's son, expanding the area by building casino hotels. In 1996, the town was officially renamed Primm in honor of its founder and to avoid confusion with Stateline in northern Nevada. The community's economy has been in decline. From a high of three casinos (one closed 2024, one closed 2025), a wholesale outlets mall (nearly vacant by 2023) and family-friendly attractions, by 2026 the last functioning casino, the Primm Valley Resort remains. The casino attracted gamblers from Southern California wanting to stop before reaching Las Vegas 40 miles (64 km) to the north, or as a last chance to gamble before leaving Nevada. Most of Primm's residents were employees of the casino. A store located just over the California state line from Primm sells California State Lottery tickets and games (including the multi-state Mega Millions and Powerball games) mainly to residents of Nevada, whose constitution prohibits a state lottery. While not a census-designated place, the 2000 census population for the community is 436. A Clark County Comprehensive Planning Department estimate placed the population at 284 on July 1, 2006, apparently using different boundaries for the area. In a December 5, 2007 article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Primm's population is listed as around 1,132. For 2020, Census Block 2156, Census Tract 57.03 and Block 2155, Census Tract 57.03 showed a total population of 650.