[2] Lander County was created in 1862 as the result of a mining boom on the Reese River along the old pony express line, taking a considerable portion of Churchill and Humboldt counties with it.

Named for Frederick W. Lander,[3] chief engineer of a federal wagon route and Special Indian Agent in the area, it was one of the original 11 counties of Nevada when statehood was granted in 1864.

Its first county seat was Jacob's Spring in 1862, which was moved to Austin in 1863, and finally Battle Mountain in 1979.

At the 2000 census, there were 5,794 people, 2,093 households, and 1,523 families living in the county.

The racial makeup of the county was 84.41% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 3.99% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 8.66% from other races, and 2.35% from two or more races.

At the 2010 census, there were 5,775 people, 2,213 households, and 1,545 families living in the county.

There were 2,575 housing units at an average density of 0.5 per square mile (0.19/km2).

[12] In terms of ancestry, 19.4% were German, 13.6% were English, 12.2% were Irish, and 12.0% were American.