Minden by the numbers
- Drive from our Sparks warehouse47 mi, about 58 min via I-580, US 395
- Population3,707
- Households1,527
- Homes owned / rented74.5% / 25.5%
- Median year built1995
- Median home value$586,000
- Moved in the past year13.6%
- Elevation4,709 ft
- CountyDouglas County
- ZIP codes89423
Data (read 2026-10-19): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates; OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data, free-flow drive from 2277 Glendale Ave, Sparks; USGS Elevation Point Query Service.
Minden (ZIP 89423) and Gardnerville (89410 and 89423) share the Carson Valley floor at about 4,700 feet. Gardnerville has a median age near 55.7, which shows how many retirees live here, while Minden is closer to 49.2. Local services are split between the two towns and the county.
Douglas County is the main office
Douglas County government is headquartered in Minden, and its website at douglascountynv.gov lists the Assessor, Recorder, Clerk-Treasurer and the other offices a homeowner needs. Deeds, property tax bills and voter registration all route through these county departments. If you buy a house in either town, the county office is where you confirm the parcel number and tax history.
The Carson Valley retirement guide adds detail for people planning a long stay.
Schools: Douglas County School District
Students in both towns attend schools run by the Douglas County School District, which posts its enrollment pages at dcsd.net. Registration asks for proof of residence and immunization records, so pull those together before the school year starts. Attendance boundaries follow the street address.
Utilities in the valley
Water and sewer arrangements in the valley depend on the address, since some homes are served by town or district systems and others use wells and septic. Ask for the exact provider names at closing, and have the county confirm what applies to the parcel. NV Energy is the name to check for electric and gas service in the region.
Where the nearest DMV is
The valley has no state DMV office of its own on the DMV's list. The closest metropolitan office is the Carson City office at 555 Wright Way, open Monday to Friday 8 am to 5 pm by appointment, about 20 minutes to the north. Vehicle owners can handle many renewals online, which saves the trip.
See registering your car in Nevada for the paperwork.
Getting your belongings to the valley
The O'Brien's warehouse is about 47 miles from Minden and 49 miles from Gardnerville, a drive of around an hour on I-580 and US 395. Crews work from the Sparks site and deliver into the valley. Home values in Minden run near $586,000 in the Census estimate, and newer houses often mean larger loads, so an estimator will walk through every room and the garage before quoting. Book a free in-home estimate.