The Bay Area is one of the two largest sources of Reno-bound moves, along with Sacramento. The pull is housing and tax; the trade is distance and a different climate. Here are the numbers on each side.
Housing: the biggest difference
The 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey shows a median home value of $1,394,500 in San Francisco city and $1,233,200 in San Jose city, against $548,300 in Reno city and $483,800 in Sparks. Median gross rent is $2,476 in San Francisco and $2,669 in San Jose, against $1,556 in Reno and $1,716 in Sparks.
Median household income runs $140,970 in San Francisco and $146,427 in San Jose, against $80,760 in Reno, so the comparison depends on whether your income moves with you. Remote work makes the housing gap easier to use.
The drive over Donner Summit
From San Francisco the road is 247.6 miles, about 5 h 18 min of driving, and from San Jose 255.0 miles, about 5 h, on I-80 and I-680. Both cross Donner Summit at roughly 7,200 feet. Winter storms can require chains on the summit, and a moving crew plans around the forecast. See winter driving.
Because Nevada and California are different states, this is an interstate move. You book with O'Brien's, and we coordinate the move from your Bay Area origin through the Bekins network, then deliver, unpack and store in Sparks. The written estimate sets the delivery window.
Taxes
California's Franchise Tax Board lists a top income tax rate of 12.3 percent for 2025, and the state's base sales tax is 7.25 percent. Nevada has no individual income tax. If you keep a California job, ask a tax professional about residency rules before you move.
Weather and daily life
San Francisco's July high averages 66.3 F and January's 57.8 F, with 22.89 inches of rain and no snow. Reno's July high averages 93.9 F, January's 47.7 F, with 7.35 inches of precipitation and 20.9 inches of snow. Expect hotter, drier summers and colder winters, and a smaller city with outdoor recreation near the front door.
Many Bay Area households downsize on arrival. O'Brien's offers vault storage from $40 per month and partial packing, which suits a house-to-smaller-house move. See vault storage.
The numbers on the flow
The Census Bureau's 2024 one-year estimates count about 53,289 people moving from California to Nevada and about 21,133 moving the other way, with margins of error near 6,970 and 4,646. California is the largest source state in both directions. The moving from California guide has the deadlines and the data. Call 775-359-6683 for a free in-home estimate with 10 free heavy-duty boxes you keep.