Recent Census data show Nevada's poverty rate rose by a little more than 4%. Nevadans are also leading the nation in loss of income. Nevada had the highest percent decline in median income in 2010 - dropping by 12%.

Elliott Parker chairs the Economics Department at the University of Nevada, Reno. He points out Nevada's leading job sectors - gambling and housing construction -have been hit hard by the recession.  

Parker says Nevada used to be a place where young adults could make a good living without having an advanced education…

"…either working in the tourism sector, associated with the hotels and the casinos or working in construction. And so they've been especially hurt because those sectors have dropped. But nonetheless, Nevada still has higher per capita income than many other states. It's just that we were significantly above the national average and we have seen that fall considerably."  

The Census data is the latest example of Nevada's stalled economy. The state also has the highest unemployment rate in the nation.