Carson City vs Washoe County
Carson City, Nevada versus Washoe County, Nevada: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Carson City edges out Washoe County on overall objective livability (50 vs 42 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Carson City | Washoe County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $67k | $82k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $51k |
| Home Value | $391k | $460k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.46% | 0.48% |
| Income Tax | 3.29% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 8.24% | 8.24% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.67% | 5.41% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 36°F | 34°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 76°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.1 in | 7.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 35.3 in | 7.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 253 days | 264 days |
| Summer Humidity | 39°F | 37°F |
| Comfortable Days | 49 days | 31 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 76.1 | 96.7 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 23.0 | 50.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1484/100k | 1818/100k |
| Property Crime | 1051/100k | 2108/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 58,249 | 486,674 |
| Median Age | 42.1 | 38.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.42 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.08 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | R+12 | Even |
| White (%) | 64.3% | 60.5% |
| Black (%) | 2.1% | 2.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 25.0% | 25.5% |
| Asian (%) | 2.6% | 5.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.0% | 6.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 9.9/20 | 10.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 103 mi | 168 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.6% | 89.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 24.55 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Carson City or Washoe County more affordable?
- Carson City has the lower cost of living: its index is $48k, compared with Carson City's $48k and Washoe County's $51k. Median rent is $1k in Carson City versus $1k in Washoe County.
- Is Carson City or Washoe County safer?
- Carson City has the lower violent crime rate. Carson City reports 1484/100k and Washoe County reports 1818/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Carson City or Washoe County?
- The median home value is $391k in Carson City and $460k in Washoe County, so homes are more affordable in Carson City.