Fernley receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fernley
Carson
Opportunity
66 · Top 30%
vs55 · Bottom 48%
Growth
74 · Top 12%
vs62 · Top 29%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs54 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience
14 · Bottom 10%
vs22 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 50%
vs64 · Bottom 26%
Schools
47 · Bottom 43%
vs50 · Bottom 48%
Access
83 · Bottom 27%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 48%
vs54 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Fernley | Carson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,225 | 58,384 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,517 | $72,355 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,038 | $39,432 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 197/sq mi | 404/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $366,700 | $453,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,570 | $1,248 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.0% | 62.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.1% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.4% | 23.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 230 | 443 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.5 | 7.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.9% | -0.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 4.9" | 20.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 22.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.4 | 42.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.75 | 16.87 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.9% | 29.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 39.1% | 38.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 93.1% | 80.9% | 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
Fernley
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, wildfire, inland flooding.
Carson
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, wildfire.
Full profiles: Fernley, NV · Carson, NV · How this is calculated: methodology