Empire is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Washoe County, Nevada, with a population estimated at 65 (2021). It is allowance of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area; before the 2010 census, it was allowance of the Gerlach–Empire census-designated place. The nearest town, Nixon, is 60 miles (97 km) to the south upon a reservation owned by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe.

For 63 years, from 1948 to 2011, Empire was a company town of the US Gypsum Corporation, a manufacturer of gypsum based construction sheetrock, and later than had a population of more than 750 people. US Gypsum closed the mine and the town in 2011; the mine and town were bought in 2016 by the Empire Mining Company (EMC), a manufacturer of gypsum based agricultural and construction additives. In 2016, the town again became a company town below the other auspices of EMC. Since that date both the town and the mine have been partially reopened by the supplementary owners.

In 1907, Alex Ranson discovered gypsum near what progressive became Empire. In late 1909, Alex Ranson, Nick Curnow, E. H. Cowles and James Raser filed a patent for a selenite placer mining claim. In 1911, the mine was sold to unidentified buyers, rumored to be the plaster or gypsum trust from the eastern U.S. The sale was for between $50,000 (equivalent to $1,450,000 in 2021) and $100,000 (equivalent to $2,910,000 in 2021). In 1922, the Pacific Portland Cement company started construction of a mill at what is now known as Empire. In 1924, the Pacific Portland Cement company completed the involve of their mill to the current location of Empire from a location near Mound House, Nevada near what was subsequently known as Empire and the Carson River mills. The company called the further plant Empire. U.S. Gypsum bought the town in 1948. Empire reached a maximum population of 750 in the at the forefront 1960s.

Amid a slump in the construction industry, the gypsum tree-plant in Empire closed its doors on January 31, 2011, eliminating 95 jobs. Residents with children were allowed to continue inhabiting their company homes through June 20, 2011, the decline of the instructor year. After that date, Empire had empty homes and a large shuttered tree-plant that made it seem with suggestion to like a ghost town. The ZIP Code, 89405, was after that discontinued. During the years that the mill and town were both closed (2011 – 2016), U.S. Gypsum first erected a large fence more or less the entire town and plant complex; it then retained two employees to patrol and preserve the property. It along with brought two llamas onto the property to save the grass trimmed.