Fernley by the numbers
- Drive from our Sparks warehouse39 mi, about 1 h 3 min via I-80, US 50 ALT
- Population24,225
- Households8,789
- Homes owned / rented72% / 28%
- Median year built2001
- Median home value$366,700
- Moved in the past year15.7%
- Elevation4,535 ft
- CountyLyon County
- ZIP codes89408, 89429, 89406
Data (read 2026-10-19): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates; OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap data, free-flow drive from 2277 Glendale Ave, Sparks; USGS Elevation Point Query Service.
Fernley (ZIPs 89408, 89429 and 89406) has newer housing stock, with a median build year of 2001, and 72 percent of homes are owner-occupied. A median home value near $366,700 draws many people from the Reno side. Here is how the local offices divide up.
City of Fernley versus Lyon County
Fernley is incorporated, so the City of Fernley handles planning, building permits and city services, and its website is cityoffernley.org. Lyon County handles the Assessor, Recorder, Clerk and Treasurer for the whole county from its offices around Yerington and Dayton. A property tax bill, a deed recording or a voter registration all belong to the county.
Schools: Lyon County School District
Public school students in Fernley attend Lyon County School District campuses. The district decides placement by address, and a Fernley address on a lease or deed is the usual proof. Contact the district office for registration dates and immunization requirements.
Utility accounts
The city's own website is the starting point for water, sewer and trash accounts, and NV Energy covers electric service in the area. Because many Fernley houses are newer, many have solar or tankless water heaters that the previous owner can explain, and the utility transfer is usually simple. Ask the seller for the last bills so you know the account names.
Which DMV office to book
Fernley does not appear on the DMV's office list. The Reno office at 9155 Double Diamond Parkway is open weekdays 8 am to 5 pm and Saturdays 8 am to 4 pm, and the rural Yerington office at 215 W. Bridge Street, Suite 9, is also on the list. Both require appointments, and rural slots open about a day ahead.
Review the license guide before booking, so the right documents are in the folder.
Who moves to Fernley
About 27.5 percent of Fernley householders moved in during 2020 or later, and 4.4 percent of residents lived in another state a year earlier. Median household income is near $89,517, close to Sparks. Many commute to Reno, Sparks or the industrial parks along I-80, so a morning drive is part of the plan.
Moving along I-80
Fernley is 63 minutes from the Sparks warehouse by I-80 and US 50 Alternate, so loads going east leave the yard early. The area page for Fernley, Fallon and Lyon County lists how the service area works. An in-home estimate is free and comes with 10 free heavy-duty boxes: free in-home estimate.