89436 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
89436
89521
Opportunity
74 · Top 14%
vs79 · Top 9%
Growth
71 · Top 14%
vs55 · Top 42%
Climate
64 · Bottom 33%
vs64 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 18%
vs14 · Bottom 10%
Housing affordability
67 · Bottom 31%
vs71 · Bottom 36%
Schools
78 · Top 15%
vs76 · Top 19%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
79 · Top 13%
vs72 · Top 28%
Measured values
| Metric | 89436 | 89521 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 49,544 | 41,859 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $114,100 | $127,181 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,975 | $60,349 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,166/sq mi | 450/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $588,500 | $667,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,128 | $2,147 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.7% | 68.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.0% | 51.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 7.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,067 | 1,271 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.7 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 27.9% | -39.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 7.4" | 7.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.4 min | 21.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 41.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.83 | 21.01 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 49.6% | 47.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 61.3% | 58.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 26.4% | 26.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
89436
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, wildfire.
89521
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: 89436 — Sparks, NV · 89521 — Reno, NV · How this is calculated: methodology