It was later called Deer Creek Dry Diggins, and Caldwell's Upper Store.

[9] The Gold Tunnel on the north side of Deer Creek was the city's first mine, built in 1850.

[10] The first sawmill in Nevada City was built on Deer Creek, just above town, in August 1850, by Lewis & Son, with a water wheel.

[9][15] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km2), 99.83% of it land and 0.17% water.

[16] Most of Nevada City lies on brown sandy loam soils of the Hoda series which developed on granitic rock.

[17] Owing to its exposed location on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, Nevada City receives moderate to heavy rainfall for California at 59 inches (1.5 m), though its climate is otherwise fairly typical for the state, classified as Mediterranean (Csa/Csb).

The 2010 United States Census[24] reported that Nevada City had a population of 3,068.

488 households (36.0%) were made up of individuals, and 168 (12.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Nevada City is considered particularly at risk of wildfire, a "very high fire hazard severity zone" because of its wooded steep hillsides, narrow streets, 19th-century Gold Rush-era homes, and thick tree canopy.

[41] Nevada City is in California's 1st congressional district, represented by Republican Doug LaMalfa.

[42] According to the California Secretary of State, as of February 10, 2019, Nevada City has 2,353 registered voters.

[46] Other local schools include the California College of Ayurveda and Connected Communities Academy.

Nevada City was the setting for the 2006 Hallmark Channel original movie, The Christmas Card.

Nevada City is twinned with Penzance, a seaside town in Cornwall, UK, and the nearby tin and copper mining town of St Just in Penwith, Cornwall, UK.

City Hall has a room dedicated to the twinning and houses Cornish memorabilia and items donated on various exchanges.

Penzance Youth Wind Band has joined forces with Nevada Union High School's instrumental music department on two occasions.