Moving from Las Vegas to Reno: What Changes and What Doesn't

The short version: moving from Las Vegas to Reno trades long, hot summers for four real seasons, cool evenings, Lake Tahoe and ski mountains close by, and a lot less traffic. You stay in Nevada, so there is still no state income tax. The drive between the two cities is about 440 miles, roughly seven hours.

If a friend in Las Vegas asked me whether they should move to Reno, I would tell them yes, you should definitely move here. The weather alone is a different life.

I am Shannon Comstock, a REALTOR® with RE/MAX Gold in Reno. I grew up on the East Shore of Lake Tahoe and I have lived in Southwest Reno since 2013. I have also helped a family make the move the other way, from Reno down to Las Vegas, so I know both ends of that drive.

Here is what changes when you move north, what you will need to get used to, and how I help people pick the right Reno neighborhood.

Las Vegas is too hot for most of the year. In the hot season you go from one air-conditioned place to the next: house to car, car to store, store back to the car. It is not a place where you spend your days outside.

The weather records back that up. Using the official 1991 to 2020 averages, a normal July day in Las Vegas reaches about 105 degrees and only drops to about 82 at night. In Reno, a normal July day is about 94 and the night cools to about 60. Las Vegas averaged about 78 days a year at 100 degrees or hotter. Reno averaged about 6.

That cool evening is the part people feel first. Here you can sit outside, enjoy your patio and have people over for a barbecue after the sun goes down. In the heat of the summer you can drive up to Lake Tahoe to cool off. From most of Southwest Reno the lake is about 30 minutes away.

Reno has four seasons. Fall turns the trees, winter brings snow to the mountains, spring comes back green and summer is warm and dry.

You can ski in the morning and golf in the afternoon. Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe is about 30 minutes from Southwest Reno, and plenty of locals ski before work. In my opinion the skiing here is much better than Mt. Charleston, and the Lake Tahoe resorts are all within reach for a day trip.

In the warmer months you can hike in the mountains, raft the Truckee River, or spend the day on the water at Lake Tahoe. If you moved to Las Vegas for the sunshine but miss being outside, this is what you have been missing.

If golf is a big part of your life in Las Vegas, you will not give it up here. Reno has public courses you can play any day and private clubs with homes right on the course. Golf season here runs from spring through fall, and on the right day you can still ski in the morning and play in the afternoon.

Public courses you can book a tee time at:

• Washoe Golf Course. Reno's oldest course, owned and run by Washoe County in central Reno.
• LakeRidge Golf Course. A Robert Trent Jones Sr. design in Southwest Reno. Its signature par-3 15th plays from a ridge down to an island green on Lake Stanley.
• Wolf Run Golf Club. A canyon course in South Reno with Thomas Creek running through it. It is the home course for the University of Nevada golf teams.
• Red Hawk Golf and Resort. Two courses in Sparks: the Lakes course by Robert Trent Jones Jr., which is open to the public, and the Hills course by Hale Irwin.
• Sierra Sage Golf Course. A public course on the north side of Reno.

Private clubs, some with homes on the course:

• Montreux Golf & Country Club. A Jack Nicklaus design in Southwest Reno that has hosted a PGA Tour event.
• The Club at ArrowCreek. Two 18-hole courses in Southwest Reno: the Legend course, designed by Arnold Palmer's team, and the Challenge course, designed by Fuzzy Zoeller with John Harbottle.
• Somersett Country Club. A Tom Kite design in Northwest Reno.
• Hidden Valley Country Club. A private club on the east side of Reno.

And Lake Tahoe adds more. Edgewood Tahoe on the South Shore hosts the celebrity golf tournament every July. Membership rules and public access change over time, so check with each club before you plan around it. If golf is how you spend your Saturdays, tell me, and I will show you homes near the courses you would actually play.

Reno is a much smaller city than Las Vegas. The Las Vegas metro area has about 2.4 million people. The Reno metro area has about 575,000. You notice it on the road. There is less traffic, and getting across town takes minutes, not the better part of an hour.

Smaller does not mean there is nothing to do. We still have plenty of shows, concerts and restaurants. Reno has the Reno Aces for baseball, the University of Nevada Wolfpack for football and basketball, the Nevada Museum of Art, and Artown, which fills the city with performances and events every July. Then add the mountains and the lake on top of all that. In Reno you get both.

Snow. Yes, we have winter snow. In town it is not too bad. There is much more in the mountains, which is good news if you ski. You will want a car with all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, especially for trips up to Lake Tahoe or the ski resorts.

The drive back to Las Vegas. It is about 440 miles, roughly seven hours, most of it on US-95 through Tonopah and Hawthorne. Visiting family in Las Vegas becomes a planned trip rather than a quick one.

A different kind of house hunt. Reno neighborhoods vary a lot from one to the next. Some are wooded and gated up on the hill, some are newer master-planned communities, and some have homes that are close to 100 years old near downtown. That is why I start with how you live, not with a price range.

You are not leaving Nevada, so the big tax advantage comes with you. Nevada has no state income tax, and it is written into the Nevada Constitution. I cover the details in my guide to Nevada tax advantages for buyers in Reno.

Property taxes on your primary home are capped too. Once you file a tax cap claim with the Washoe County Assessor, your bill can rise no more than 3% a year. I am a real estate agent, not a CPA, so this is not tax advice. Check your own situation with a tax professional.

The first thing I ask is about your lifestyle. What do you like to do on a Saturday? Knowing that tells me which neighborhoods to show you first. A few examples:

• Saturday is a round of golf. Montreux and ArrowCreek in Southwest Reno are gated communities built around private golf clubs. Somersett in Northwest Reno has its own private course, a large clubhouse, and a Town Center with a market and restaurants. If you would rather play the public courses, Lakeridge sits right next to LakeRidge Golf Course.
• Saturday is a ski day. There are so many places to ski, and where you live decides which mountain is closest. On the south side of Reno, including Southwest Reno, you are close to Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. On the Northwest side, you are closer to Northstar and Palisades Tahoe. Old Southwest Reno sits sort of in the middle.
• Saturday is coffee and dinner you can walk to. The Newlands Historic District has homes about a century old, and you can walk into Midtown for restaurants, coffee and shopping.
• Saturday is a trail close to home. Caughlin Ranch on the west side has walking trails, mature trees, and quick access to downtown and I-80.

These are starting points. Once I know how you want to live, I can narrow it down fast. You can read more about relocating to Reno, or browse all Reno neighborhoods.

How far is Reno from Las Vegas?

About 440 miles. Most people plan on roughly seven hours of driving, mostly on US-95 through Tonopah and Hawthorne, so it is a full day in the car rather than a weekend hop.

Is Reno cooler than Las Vegas in the summer?

Yes. Using the official 1991 to 2020 weather records, a normal July day in Las Vegas reaches about 105 degrees and only cools to about 82 at night. In Reno it is about 94 in the afternoon and about 60 at night. Las Vegas averaged about 78 days a year at 100 degrees or hotter. Reno averaged about 6.

Does it snow in Reno?

Yes, but not as much as people expect in town. The mountains get far more. Plan on all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, especially if you want to ski or drive up to Lake Tahoe in the winter.

Will I still pay no state income tax if I move from Las Vegas to Reno?

Yes. You are staying in Nevada, so there is still no state income tax. Your property tax on a primary home is also capped: once you file a tax cap claim with the Washoe County Assessor, the bill can rise no more than 3% a year. This is not tax advice, so check your own situation with a CPA.

Is Reno a lot smaller than Las Vegas?

Yes. The Las Vegas metro area has about 2.4 million people and the Reno metro area has about 575,000, according to Census Bureau estimates. Reno has less traffic and a smaller feel, and it still has concerts, shows and good restaurants.

Is there good golf in Reno?

Yes. Public courses include Washoe Golf Course, LakeRidge, Wolf Run, Sierra Sage and the Lakes course at Red Hawk in Sparks. Private clubs include Montreux, a Jack Nicklaus design, the two courses at ArrowCreek, Somersett and Hidden Valley. Lake Tahoe courses such as Edgewood Tahoe are a short drive away.

What is the best Reno neighborhood for someone moving from Las Vegas?

It depends on how you like to spend your free time. I start by asking what you like to do on a Saturday. Golf, skiing, walking to dinner, or trails close to town each point to different neighborhoods.

Tell me what you like to do on a Saturday, and I will tell you which Reno neighborhoods fit. You can contact me here, or start with my free Reno Relocation Guide.

Shannon Comstock is a Reno, Nevada real estate agent helping luxury buyers and sellers navigate life transitions with clarity, strategy, and a genuinely personalized approach.

📞 775.842.2000
realestate@shannoncomstock.com
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📍 1401 S Virginia Street, Suite 100, Reno, NV 89502

Shannon Comstock is a licensed REALTOR® in the state of Nevada, License S.175542, with RE/MAX Gold.