This study aimed to investigated the association between the ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes (NLR) and cutaneous melanoma (CM) and to determine the association between the NLR and the prevalence of CM. A retrospective observational study involving 62,102 individuals over the age of 18, drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which was carried out over the period from 1999 to 2018. NLR derived from laboratory data, while CM diagnosis was based on participants' self-reports. The relationship between the NLR and CM was assessed using weighted logistic regression analyses, complemented by restricted cubic spline analyses. The study encompassed a total of 336 adults afflicted with CM and 49,621 adults free from CM. The findings exposed a correlation between the NLR and the occurrence of CM, having an odds ratio (OR) of 1.63 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.07 to 2.48; p = 0.022). Moreover, the restricted cubic spline model showed a non-linear pattern between the NLR and CM. Overall, we found that the NLR was positively associated with the prevalence of CM. Our findings highlight that NLR may be a systemic inflammation waring marker for CM in US individuals.