U.S. News & World Report released its 2022-2023 report on the Best Places to Live for Quality of Life, and Reno, Nevada, landed in the top ten. Links to the article are below or you can just read my synopsis to find out why they honored Reno with a well deserved top spot!  

U.S. News Best Places to Live Methodology

The Best Places to Live rankings are designed to give readers helpful information based on data gathered from the U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, U.S. Department of Labor, and its own internal sources. And let’s be honest. Quality of life is hard to quantify, but there’s more to it than a singular slice of life. Daily commute, access to quality education and health care, crime rates, and air quality, in addition to general well-being, all factor in. 

Being as this is a real estate blog, I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that the median home prices listed in the article are from 2020, even though the post was updated in June of 2022, so that number is definitely off given the appreciation most US cities experienced in the past 18 months. As of the end of June 2022, Reno’s median sales price was down 2.4% from an all time high in May, but still clocked in at an even $600,000. 

So, what edge did Reno have over the competition for quality of life? Reno beat out several impressive cities like Santa Barbara, California; Portland, Maine, Green Bay, Wisconsin; Boise, Idaho; and Miami, Florida to snag spot number 9 on the list of 25.

Here’s what they had to say about the Biggest Little City: 

“America’s Biggest Little City is without a doubt a tourist town, and locals benefit from the area’s status as a vacation destination. Reno and the towns surrounding it are home to a number of highly rated restaurants, and the event calendar is always full. Meanwhile, there’s plenty to satisfy outdoorsy residents. The Truckee River, which snakes through downtown, is a popular open space where people can kayak, tube, swim and more. Outside Reno proper, the Sierra Nevada range provides space for hiking and biking, while Lake Tahoe, with several ski resorts dotting its perimeter, is about an hour’s drive away.  Despite the fact that Reno was built on the gaming industry, it’s very easy for residents to completely avoid the casinos. Reno residents have a wealth of cultural events and outdoor activities at their fingertips.

Tourism has also opened up a wide variety of jobs in the restaurant, hospitality and, of course, gambling industries. But people who live here will find opportunities across a variety of sectors, from education to technology. As a result, Reno caters to people of all ages and stages of life. The region is home to several reputable K-12 schools, which is a perk for families, and the University of Nevada—Reno draws a new group of young residents every year.”

Want to Learn More about Reno and the surrounding areas?

If you’re contemplating a move, you might be surprised by what Reno has to offer. I know I was. What I wasn’t surprised by is other people like me have discovered and fallen in love with the little city with a big heart! Interestingly San Francisco ranked #10 for the best place to live overall, I guess people share my love of great cities.  
Feel free to reach out with any questions about life in the high Sierras or San Francisco Bay Area. You know where to find me!