The Mountains of Nevada Offer Surprising Places to Retire
Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
By Flo Williamson
Note: This is the 3rd in Flo’s series about retirement in the Lake Tahoe area. In this installment she concentrates on some surprising Nevada towns that make great places to retire, and are a less expensive alternative.
March 18, 2018 — In this article, we’ve got some good news – there are several Nevada towns close to Lake Tahoe where you can benefit from the Tahoe lifestyle without spending a small fortune.
One of the best, and less expensive alternatives is Reno, Nevada, “The Biggest Little City in the World”. I have to admit, that while I’ve flown in and out of Reno, dozens of times over numerous years, my main objective was getting to Lake Tahoe ASAP. I’ve spent little time in the town, but my research on the benefits for retirees in Reno proved to be a most pleasant surprise. Reno is VERY retiree friendly.
Reno is located about 30 miles from Lake Tahoe, over the Sierra Mountains by way of the Mt. Rose highway which starts in Incline Village. The Reno, Nevada climate is similar to a high desert. The winters are cold, with some snow, but it’s usually not nearly as cold or snowy as at
Comments on "The Mountains of Nevada Offer Surprising Places to Retire"
Robert says:
I have been tracking Reno weather during winter time and thought the temperature is not too bad comparing to Seattle/ Puget Sound area where I live. To confirm my assessment I visited Reno this past February and realize that wind chill factor makes a 37F feels like 30F. It's bitterly cold in the evening and uncomfortably cold in the morning. Reno experiences lots of high wind in late fall and winter. Overall Reno is a great retirement town, not too big, not too expensive, and not congested like other big cities. Lots of recreational options. Restaurant choices and quality is good. If you can handle cold weather Reno is an excellent choice. I am moving Reno to second choice on my list. Austin, TX is now my top choice and plan to visit it again in the summer. Yes, I heard about the summer heat but between hot and cold I will take the hot.
Admin says:
I’m interested in exploring Mount Shasta for a vacation/retreat …..possibly a retirement location……does anyone have any comments/relocation information they want to share about Mount Shasta in CA? I’m also interested in traveling to Tofina in British Columbia/Vancouver Island for a summer vacation…..also possibly renting, maybe relocating….. understand the beaches, surfing and hiking/biking trails are incredible……let me know…..thanks…..K/NYC…..
Kennedy
Hi Kennedy
You can go to “Look up Retirement Towns by State” and scroll down to get some information. Canada is listed as well. You can also use the search engine and check out the forum for more info.
Hope this helps!!
Flo
RJ says:
I have visited Reno many times due to having family there. I have really looked into retiring there. The things I love about it are as follows. High desert climate with four seasons. Proximity to outdoor activities. Lake Tahoe being one of the most beautiful places in N.A. Sierras are stunning. No state income taxes!
Cons for me are the distance from the east coast. Reno is actually farther west than L.A. and there are few direct flights from the east coast. It is a long day of travel to get there from the east. Housing prices are not that cheap. Right after the recession would have been the time to buy. I think major employers like Google, Amazon, and Tesla have really boosted their housing as well as being next door to California.
If you are looking to retire to a four season town, love the outdoors and are from California, Reno would be a great option. Housing prices would still be very reasonable for you.
Michael says:
Hello, Here is my two cents on Reno NV. I have lived in Reno for 40 years, originally from San Francisco California. Reno use to be a very nice small to mid sized town. It is now very expensive to live here. The medium home price just hit an all time high of $400,000. Rent's are also very high $1,200-$1,500 for a decent one to two bedroom apartment. $1,500 and up for a house. It gets hot in the summer but cools down at night and can get bitter cold in the winter. We get snow but it doesn't stay on the ground for long after a big snowstorm. The economy is booming, with Tesla, Amazon and other huge employers who recently moved to the area. No state tax is a big plus. There is a lot of natural beauty to the north, south and west in the Sierra mountains, the east is pretty in its own way but is high desert. It is about four hours to San Francisco and the Pacific ocean. Traffic has gotten bad compared to just a few years ago. There are many large special events most every weekend through the summer. There are lots of homeless people begging on the side of the road and the shelter is located to close to the downtown area. If you have a substantial income and about $400,000-500,000 to buy a nice house this could be a good fit for you. If you are like most of us on a limited budget your standard of living will not be very good here.