Minimum-wage laborers in Nevada must work the equivalent of three jobs -- at least 120 hours each week -- in order to afford local fair-market rents.

That's the finding in a new study by Colorado College. The Colorado Springs-based school's "State of the Rockies Report Card" gave failing grades to Nevada's two largest counties, with better marks in other parts of the state.

Clark county received a D+ and Washoe county a D. Carson City
and Douglas County received a C+. The best grades were Humboldt and
Lyon counties, both with A-.

In Reno-Sparks, 21.2 percent of homes are affordable for those
earning a median income. That drops to 20 percent in Carson City,
and 18.9 percent in Las Vegas, which rank among the lowest in the
Rocky Mountain West. This compares to a high mark of 76.3 percent
of homes being affordable in Pueblo, Colo.

Other grades for Nevada counties were: Churchill, B; Esmeralda,
B; Eureka, B-; Lander, B+; Lincoln, D; Mineral, C-; Nye, B+;
Pershing, B+; Storey, C; White Pine, C.

In the entire Rocky Mountain region, 8 percent of the counties
received a D+ and 7 percent received a D; 8 percent of counties
earned an A and 8 percent earned an A-.