--- title: Reno Housing: Owning vs Renting (Census Data) url: https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/housing-market/ business: O'Brien's Moving & Storage address: 2277 Glendale Ave, Sparks, NV 89431 phone: 775-359-6683 (toll-free 1-800-253-7814) hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm licenses: U.S. DOT No. 30611, MC-109375, Nevada CPCN 1070; interstate agent for Bekins Van Lines since 1955 type: Moving and storage company, family owned since 1941 --- Photo: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons - [Home](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/) - [Moving resources: guides, checklists, tools and data](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/resources/) - [Moving to Reno and Sparks: the complete guide](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/) - Reno housing: owning vs renting (Census data) # Reno housing: owning vs renting Reno's households split almost evenly, with 49.8 percent owning and 50.2 percent renting, and the Census Bureau's median home value is 548,300 dollars. Sparks leans toward owners at 59.8 percent, with a median home value of 483,800 dollars. or call [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) [4.3 on Google · 71 reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/) Family owned since 1941 [U.S. DOT No. 30611](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/about/licenses-and-authority/) Everything on this page comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey for 2020 to 2024, plus its one-year survey for 2024 to show the trend. It describes the homes people live in, not what is for sale this week, so use it to decide where to look and what kind of home to look for. ## Own or rent Reno has 114,322 households in 123,756 housing units. Of the occupied homes, 56,957 are owner-occupied and 57,365 are rented. Across the Reno metro area, 38.1 percent of households rent, which shows that the city center skews toward renters and the suburbs toward owners. In Sparks, 25,380 households own and 17,034 rent. The median gross rent is 1,556 dollars in Reno and 1,716 dollars in Sparks. The [renting page](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/renting-in-reno/) covers leases and deposits, and the [property tax page](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/property-taxes/) covers the owner's side. ## How old the homes are The median Reno home was built in 1990. About 37.4 percent of homes predate 1980, 35.6 percent were built in 2000 or later, and 5,796 units date from 2020 or later. Sparks has a newer stock, with a median build year of 1993 and 39.8 percent built since 2000. Older homes tend to sit closer to downtown, and newer ones toward the south and north edges of the valley, a pattern the [neighborhoods page](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/neighborhoods/) breaks out by ZIP code. ## How big the homes are Half of Reno's housing units (50.1 percent) are single-family detached houses. By bedrooms, 3-bedroom homes are the largest group at 38,108 units, followed by 2-bedroom units at 34,927 and 4-bedroom units at 19,846. About 50 percent of units have three or more bedrooms, and 8,734 are studios. Sparks has 16,137 three-bedroom units and 9,324 four-bedroom units. ## Prices over time in Washoe County The one-year survey tracks Washoe County since 2010. The median home value was 176,500 dollars in 2012, 383,400 dollars in 2019 and 571,800 dollars in 2024. Median gross rent went from 871 dollars in 2012 to 1,195 dollars in 2019 and 1,691 dollars in 2024. Median household income rose from 49,026 dollars to 91,241 dollars over the same period, so home values grew faster than incomes. | Washoe County (ACS 1-year) | 2012 | 2019 | 2024 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Median home value | 176,500 | 383,400 | 571,800 | | Median gross rent | 871 | 1,195 | 1,691 | | Median household income | 49,026 | 71,881 | 91,241 | ## What this means for a move A typical Reno household that buys is moving into a home worth about 6.8 times its income, which is why many newcomers arrive with equity from a sale elsewhere or rent first. If the two closings do not line up, [storage while selling a home](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/full-service-storage/storage-while-selling-a-home/) keeps your belongings safe for the gap. Apartment and condo moves have their own details, and the [apartments and condos page](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/local-moving/apartments-and-condos/) covers elevators, parking and move-in windows. ### Sources (checked October 18, 2026) - [U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024](https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs) - [Washoe County Assessor](https://www.washoecounty.gov/assessor/) ### Licensed movers U.S. DOT No. 30611 MC-109375 Nevada CPCN 1070 Cal PUC T-90973 (as published by O'Brien's) Bekins Van Lines interstate agent since 1955 [Check our USDOT record](https://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/query.asp?searchtype=ANY&query_type=queryCarrierSnapshot&query_param=USDOT&query_string=30611) · [Ready to Move? (FMCSA)](https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/ReadytoMoveBrochure_2022Update.pdf) [Licenses and authority](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/about/licenses-and-authority/) ### Visit or call the office 2277 Glendale Ave, Sparks, NV 89431 [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) | Monday to Friday | 8:00 am to 5:00 pm | | --- | --- | | Saturday and Sunday | Closed | [Get my free estimate](#estimate) ### Related - [Renting in Reno: what newcomers should know](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/renting-in-reno/) - [Reno and Sparks neighborhoods by ZIP code](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/neighborhoods/) - [Washoe County property taxes and the abatement cap](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/property-taxes/) - [Northern Nevada housing data by town](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/data/northern-nevada-housing/) Moving to Reno guides ## Read next - [Jobs and the Reno economy (BLS data)](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/jobs-and-economy/) - [Commuting and RTC transit](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/commuting-and-transit/) - [Reno and Sparks neighborhoods by ZIP code](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/neighborhoods/) - [Pros and cons of living in Reno](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/pros-and-cons/) - [Reno vs Las Vegas](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/reno-vs-las-vegas/) - [Reno vs Sacramento](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/reno-vs-sacramento/) - [Reno vs Boise](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/reno-vs-boise/) - [Reno vs the Bay Area](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/moving-to-reno/reno-vs-bay-area/) Answers ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683), Mon-Fri 8-5, or see the [moving FAQ](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/faq/). ### Do more people rent or own in Reno? Slightly more rent: 50.2 percent of Reno households rent and 49.8 percent own. In Sparks, 59.8 percent own. ### What is the median home value in Reno? The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimate is 548,300 dollars for Reno city, 483,800 dollars for Sparks and 502,300 dollars for the Reno metro area. ### How old are Reno homes? The median year built is 1990, and about 37 percent of homes were built before 1980. ## 4.3 stars from 71 Google reviews What customers say about O'Brien's [Read more reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/)[See them on Google](https://maps.google.com/maps?cid=17335326057105140938) J Jessica D. February 14, 2023 I have always had a really good experience with Obriens delivery service. I've been a girl scout volunteer for 6 years now and they are always very friendly and helpful. Thank you for all you do!! ### Owner's reply Jessica, thank you so much for the kind words. We love the Girl Scout cookie distribution time. It gives us the chance to interact with you ladies that are out there making a difference in our community every day! Thank you for everything you do. A Ami M. February 7, 2023 O'Brien's is great! They made my move easy. They were responsive, professional and accommodating. Trusting them with my move was one less thing I had to worry about. ### Owner's reply Ami thank you so much! It was a pleasure to assist you with your move and knowing that we were able to lessen any stress you may have had with the moving process, makes us so happy!! If you need anything in the future please let us know. M Mike K. August 30, 2019 The best customer service ever! ### Owner's reply Thanks Mike we sincerely appreciate you and your business! ## Get a long-distance estimate Tell us where you are going. The estimate for a long-distance move starts with a survey of your Reno-area home. Rather talk? [Call 775-359-6683](tel:+17753596683) Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm Our estimators: Sean, Luke, Christa and Janet. 2277 Glendale Ave Sparks, NV 89431 [4.3 on Google · 71 reviews](https://obriensmoving-storage.com/reviews/) Family owned since 1941 U.S. DOT No. 30611 · MC-109375 · Nevada CPCN 1070