Mrs. Sandy Bowers (Eilley Bowers), 1863
Washoe Valley’s story
Washoe Valley in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 1863 and 5 maps from 1950 on.
Explore the history →
Washoe ValleyNV
This town in Nevada has a population of 3,315.
Photo: TheConduqtor · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
3,315
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$610K
Census ACS
Household income
$123K
median
Median age
59.3
years
Jobs based here
143
A commuter town
TownGrade
C
#14 of 42 in NV
Is Washoe Valley a good place to live?
The weak point is walkability. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 93% of U.S. towns. Schools are its strong suit — its schools outperform 63% of the state's. At about $610K, a typical home costs 7 years of the Reno metro’s $87K median household income. Put together, the subjects come to a C overall, better than 34% of U.S. towns. In the ranking it comes 14th of 42 in Nevada. It lags on hazard risk as well: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 84% of U.S. communities, with avalanches at the top. 8% of residents are under 18 in Washoe Valley, against 21% in Nevada’s towns and 22% across U.S. towns.
Figures: schools, state test and graduation results · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · FEMA National Risk Index.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Washoe Valley for work
Where Washoe Valley’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
143jobs based in Washoe Valley
3%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Washoe Valley grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Nevada), ordered by how far Washoe Valley is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.8 of 20; 0% of households have no car; 0.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Hazard riskAvalanches top the listDOpen →SchoolsAbove the middle of the towns comparedBOpen →Cost of livingGraded on home prices against local incomesC+Open →HealthCarson Tahoe Regional Medical Center 6.1 miles awayBOpen →Jobs & incomeAbout average among the towns comparedBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors7 miles of trails; 17% conserved landBOpen →HistoryAmong the weakest of the towns comparedDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 34 attractions →Lake Tahoe and 29 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Washoe Valley. Close and well known come first.
Big draw20 mi LakeLake Tahoe
26 mi LakeDonner Lake
26 mi Ski areaPalisades Tahoe Olympic Valley122 runs · 2,542 ft vertical
6 mi Ski areaMount Rose Ski Tahoe57 runs · 1,625 ft vertical
18 mi Stadium & arenaMackay Stadium
25 mi State parkDonner Memorial State ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Lake Tahoe: Lara Farhadi, CC BY 2.0 · Donner Lake: J.smith, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Palisades Tahoe Olympic Valley: Jonnyboyca at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Mount Rose Ski Tahoe: Beesmill, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mackay Stadium: Lanski, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Donner Memorial State Park: Joe Parks from Berkeley, CA, CC BY 2.0
Getting set up
Moving to Washoe Valley: who provides what
Washoe Valley is unincorporated, so Washoe County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerNV Energy13.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesWashoe CountyWashoe County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Nevada you can register online until 5 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereWashoe County Registrar of VotersWashoe County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code8970489704 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Washoe Valley.
Washoe Valley sends most of its workers to Reno and beyond and has hotter summers than most of the country, though not than most of Nevada; it also has homes that cost more against local pay than most of Nevada.
Who lives here
Washoe Valley is older than the Nevada average
The median household earns $122,614, against $78,260 across Nevada, one input to its B for jobs and income.
Only 2 of the 42 Nevada towns we compare have a higher midpoint age than Washoe Valley. Here, nearly a quarter of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree, against 28% in Nevada as a whole.
59.3median age · NV 39.1
| Washoe Valley | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 8% | 21% | 22% |
| Median age | 59.3 years | 39.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 23% | 22% | 29% |
Washoe ValleyNevadaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
23%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma12%
High school29%
Some college30%
Associate’s7%
Bachelor’s15%
Graduate8%
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.2 points. Across Nevada, 49.6% of residents are women.
| Washoe Valley | NV | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 4.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 3.7% | 10.3% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.4% | 8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 10.2% | 14.4% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 22.5% | 12.4% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 20.5% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 14.4% | 6.7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 11.5% | 12.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.7% | 27.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 30.1% | 23.3% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.8% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 15.3% | 18.1% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.6% | 9.8% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,300, single groups can be off by several points
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Very high risk in Washoe Valley, with avalanches at the top
Of the losses FEMA expects in Washoe Valley, 35% come from avalanches and 27% from earthquakes.
84risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
AvalanchesEarthquakesInland flooding
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
About half of Washoe Valley’s working residents commute to Reno
Washoe Valley has 143 jobs for its 1,346 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out.
Most working residents leave Washoe Valley for work: only 3% work in town. The typical household income for Washoe Valley comes to $123,000. Since 2013, Washoe Valley has added 37 jobs, to 143 in 2023. 5.8% of residents live below the poverty line locally.
3%work in town
| Washoe Valley | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $123,000 | $78,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.5% | 19% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.8% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Washoe Valley3%
Reno46%
Carson City15%
Sparks11%
Paradise1%
15 mi
median commute distance
143
jobs based in Washoe Valley
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 7% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsB
Washoe Valley keeps 16.7% of its land conserved
Washoe Valley’s trail density stands at 1.3 miles per square mile. 6.6 miles of trail wind through 3 parks and preserves. Scripps State Wildlife Management Area, at 345 acres with 3 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
#30for trails in NV
16.7%
conserved · 534 of 3,206 acres
6.6 mi
of trails · 1.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Scripps State Wildlife Management Area | 3 mi | 345 |
| 2. Washoe Lake State Park | 0.8 mi | 133 |
| 3. New Washoe City Park | — | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Expect four seasons and hot summers in Washoe Valley
July afternoons average 88.5°: hotter than most of the country, but cooler than 77% of Nevada places with climate records; January nights average 24.2°.
About 14 inches of snow falls in a winter. Washoe Valley’s July high comes in at 89°F.
14″snow a winter
| Washoe Valley | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 89°F | 94°F | 85°F |
| January low | 24°F | 25°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–46°
Spring35–62°
Summer52–85°
Fall37–66°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
Washoe Valley ranks healthier than 60% of the country’s towns
Against the 5,364 U.S. towns with household incomes like Washoe Valley’s, it is less healthy than 80%: its national edge comes with its incomes.
The share of adults in Washoe Valley who report frequent mental distress: 17%. Of 32 CDC measures, Washoe Valley beats the Nevada average on 11 and trails it on 6. Only 4 of the 42 Nevada towns we compare have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Washoe Valley.
60%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Washoe Valley | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 33% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 79% | 74% | 79% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 26% | 25% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 16% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Nevada
11 better15 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Washoe Valley | NV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.9% | 14.5% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.1% | 15.6% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.1% | 7.4% |
Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center
6.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
66th
percentile among NV towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C+
The median home in Washoe Valley sells for about $667K
At 7 years of the Reno metro’s $87K median household income, the typical home costs more against local pay than in 88% of Nevada towns; that ratio is one input to its C+ for cost of living.
Washoe Valley: 93% of households are owner-occupiers. In Washoe Valley, the typical rent is $1,410 a month.
$667Kmedian sale price
| Washoe Valley | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 93% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,410 a month | $1,412 a month | $1,185 a month |
4
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Washoe Valley
17pages on Washoe Valley
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Washoe Valley
About 2 of every 100 Washoe Valley residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Nevada.
About Washoe Valley
Census-designated place in Nevada, United States
Washoe Valley is a census-designated place (CDP) in Washoe County, Nevada, United States. It corresponds closely to the unincorporated community of New Washoe City. As of the 2020 census, Washoe Valley had a population of 3,074. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The CDP takes its name from the Washoe Valley, a region between Reno and Carson City centered on Washoe Lake.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 5,096 ft
- ZIP code
- 89704
Questions about Washoe Valley
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Washoe Valley, NV a good place to live?
Washoe Valley grades C overall, better than 34% of U.S. towns and #14 of 42 in Nevada. It grades B for health and B for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Washoe Valley, NV expensive?
The typical home is worth about $610,000, 38% above the Nevada typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.