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
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
Opportunity
70 · Top 23%
vs66 · Top 30%
Growth
66 · Top 26%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
74 · Top 25%
vs72 · Top 31%
Physical resilience
21 · Bottom 9%
vs31 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 8%
vs65 · Bottom 9%
Access
75 · Bottom 49%
vs56 · Bottom 18%
Economic stability
77 · Top 18%
vs60 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Reno | Mount Vernon-Anacortes | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 563,020 | 131,328 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,485 | $89,263 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,688 | $45,140 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 66/sq mi | 76/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $502,300 | $545,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,592 | $1,536 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.9% | 70.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.2% | 30.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.7% | 11.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,151 | 393 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.6 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.7% | 5.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 7.4" | 83.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 44 mi | 70 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 28.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 42.1 | 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.
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
Elevated or high exposure: volcanic activity, earthquake, coastal flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Reno
64
Your Score
60
Area Score
Mount Vernon-Anacortes
59
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Reno, NV Metro Area · Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology