Breeds in Great Basin of western USA from eastern Washington and southern Wyoming south to central-eastern California, south-eastern Nevada, north-eastern Arizona and northern New Mexico. Non-breeding central California east to south-western Utah and central New Mexico, south to northern Mexico (northern Baja California, northern Sonora and northern Chihuahua) and western Texas. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Bell's Sparrow (Artemisiospiza belli).