Reno receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Reno
Medford
Opportunity
70 · Top 23%
vs55 · Top 50%
Growth
66 · Top 26%
vs60 · Top 34%
Climate
74 · Top 25%
vs71 · Top 33%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 9%
vs24 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 8%
vs64 · Bottom 8%
Access
75 · Bottom 49%
vs90 · Top 24%
Economic stability
77 · Top 18%
vs60 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Reno | Medford | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 563,020 | 222,645 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,485 | $73,999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,688 | $40,709 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 66/sq mi | 80/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $502,300 | $430,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,592 | $1,358 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.9% | 65.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 6.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.2% | 31.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.7% | 12.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,151 | 961 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.6 | 4.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.7% | 23.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 7.4" | 18.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 44 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 20.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 42.8 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Reno
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Medford
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: Reno, NV Metro Area · Medford, OR Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology