The Town FilesFernley, Nevada
City in Lyon County · population 22,895 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $366,700
- Household income
- $89,517
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 36.4
Fernley is a city of 22,895 people in Lyon County, Nevada. The median home is worth $366,700, close to the typical Nevada town ($361,550). It ranks easier by car than 81% of Nevada towns, better for cycling than 73% of Nevada towns, more walkable than 72% of Nevada towns.
How Fernley ranks
Percentile among Nevada towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Nevada towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fernley is worth $366,700, close to the typical Nevada town ($361,550). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $89,517, which is more affordable than 71% of Nevada towns. Median rent is $1,570 a month. 72.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fernley | Typical Nevada town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $366,700 | $361,550 |
| Median rent | $1,570 | $1,386 |
| Median household income | $89,517 | $78,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 4.9× |
| Homeownership | 72.0% | 72.5% |
| Median year built | 2001 | 1989 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Fernley
| People | Fernley | Typical Nevada town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 | 44.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.1% | 21.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.4% | 19.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.8% | 9.8% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.9% | — |
| Work from home | 6.5% | 9.0% |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 24.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.0% | 92.1% |
Weather in Fernley
July highs average 96.4°F and January lows 25.0°F. About 4.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.5 inches of snow (typical Nevada town: 16.7 in). Expect about 82 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 110 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fernley since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Nevada town. The strongest, an F0, struck on June 11, 1998 about 4.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 1998.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 4, 2013.
Severe weather in Lyon County since 1996
Lyon County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 27, 2023 | Flood | DR-4708: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4523: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3443: Covid-19 |
| June 17, 2018 | Fire | FM-5242: Upper Colony Fire |
| February 17, 2017 | Severe Storm | DR-4303: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Lyon County
Lyon County had 13,744 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,903 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Fernley itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Fernley
7 public schools with 4,160 students, about 20.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fernley High School | 9-12 | 1,321 | 24.5 |
| Fernley Intermediate School | 5-6 | 669 | 21.6 |
| Silverland Middle School | 7-8 | 643 | 20.7 |
| Cottonwood Elementary School | PK-4 | 575 | 19.8 |
| East Valley Elementary School | PK-4 | 503 | 18.0 |
| Fernley Elementary School | PK-4 | 421 | 15.6 |
| Lyon County Adult Education | 15-15 | 28 | 28.0 |
Towns near Fernley
- Silver Springs, NV12.6 mi · 5,629 people · home $244,400
- Fallon, NV22.8 mi · 9,327 people · home $282,700
- Spanish Springs, NV26.3 mi · 17,314 people · home $623,900
- Dayton, NV27.8 mi · 15,153 people · home $433,200
- Sparks, NV28.0 mi · 108,445 people · home $483,800
Fernley questions
Is Fernley, Nevada a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fernley scores better for retirees than 14% of Nevada towns and quieter than 25%. 15.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.4).
How much does a house cost in Fernley?
The median owner-occupied home in Fernley is valued at $366,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,517, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $1,570 a month.
What is the weather like in Fernley?
July highs average 96.4°F and January lows 25.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 4.8 inches of precipitation a year and 4.5 inches of snow.
Does Fernley get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fernley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on June 11, 1998. The typical Nevada town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)