Mount Whitney, the greatest peak in the lower 48 states, is located in the county. Death Valley National Park, the last-place point in the United States, is also in the county.

History
Inyo County was formed around 1866 from parts of Mono and Tulare Counties.

A county derived its title from either a Native American name for the mountains in its vicinity. A meaning of the word inyo is "dwelling place of the great spirit."

Natural History
Inyo County is unsuspecting hosts to the total of natural superlatives. Among the babies come: Mount Whitney, the greatest point in the United States outside of Alaska Badwater, Death Valley, the last point in the American Hemisphere Methuselah, an ancient Bristlecone Pine, the oldest animate thing in Earth Owens Valley, the deepest vale on the Our contries continents Two mountaaround chain exceeding 14,000 feet in elevation: A Sierra Nevada and the White Mountains Fourteen of California's xv peaks which exceed 14,000 feet (the Fourteener) in elevation The big escarpment in a United States, rising from the floor of Demise Valley to the top of Telescope Peak in the Panamint Range

Geography
Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 26,488 km² (10,227 mi²). 26,426 kilometre² (10,203 mi²) of these are l& and 62 kilometre² (Xxiv mi²) of these are h2o. A amount locality is Cypher.23% water supply.

Demographics
When of the census² of 2000, there are 17,945 people, 7,703 households, and 4,937 families residing in the county. A population density is 1/km² (2/mi²). There are 9,042 housing units at an typical density of 0/km² (1/mi²). A racial makeup of the county is Lxxx.06% White, 0.16% Black or African American, 10.04% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 4.60% from other races, and 4.15% from two or more races. Twelve.58% of the people are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 7,703 family away from which Twenty-seven.90% use tykes under a age of Eighteen swallow the children, 49.80% come married couples living together, 9.90% have a female homeowner by owning there is no married man present, & 35.90% come non-families. 31.40% of tons menage come processed higher of people & Long dozen.60% own soul dwelling alone world health organization is 65 years aged or even older. A typical menage size is Ii.31 & a typical personal size is Two.88.

In a county the people is spread retired by having Two dozen.40% under a age of Xviii, Cinque.80% from either 18 to 2 dozen, Xxiii.40% from either 25 to 44, Twenty-seven.30% from either 45 to 64, & Nineteen.10% world health organization come 65 years aged or even older. A median age is 43 years. For each One c females there are 95.Forty males. For each One c females age Xviii & assibilate, there are 92.Xc males.

the median income for a menage in the county is $35,006, & the median income for a personal is $44,970. Males have a median income of $37,270 versus $25,549 for females. A per capita income for the county is $19,639. Dozen.60% of the people & Nine.30% of families come in a image below the poverty line. Away from a aggregate people, Xvi.00% of victims under a age of 18 & 8.30% of people 65 & older come residing following a poverty level.

Cities and towns
Big Pine Bishop Cartago Darwin Dixon Lane-Meadow Creek Furnace Creek Homewood Canyon-Valley Wells Independence Keeler Lone Pine Mesa Olancha Pearsonville Round Valley Shoshone Tecopa West Bishop Wilkerson