The Town FilesSun Valley, Nevada
Community in Washoe County · population 21,178 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $349,100
- Household income
- $77,446
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 35.8
Sun Valley is a community of 21,178 people in Washoe County, Nevada. The median home is worth $349,100, close to the typical Nevada town ($361,550). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 84% of Nevada towns, more walkable than 77% of Nevada towns, more vibrant than 73% of Nevada towns.
How Sun Valley 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 Sun Valley is worth $349,100, close to the typical Nevada town ($361,550). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $77,446, which is more affordable than 58% of Nevada towns. Median rent is $1,214 a month. 75.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sun Valley | Typical Nevada town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $349,100 | $361,550 |
| Median rent | $1,214 | $1,386 |
| Median household income | $77,446 | $78,278 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 4.9× |
| Homeownership | 75.5% | 72.5% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1989 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sun Valley
| People | Sun Valley | Typical Nevada town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.8 | 44.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.8% | 21.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.8% | 19.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.8% | 9.8% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 18.8% | — |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 9.0% |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 24.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.4% | 92.1% |
Weather in Sun Valley
July highs average 92.7°F and January lows 27.4°F. About 8.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.7 inches of snow (typical Nevada town: 16.7 in). Expect about 60 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 102 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sun Valley since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Nevada town. The strongest, an F1, struck on July 16, 1973 about 0.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 1, 2002.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 24, 2005.
Severe weather in Washoe County since 1996
Washoe County has been included in 54 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 2, 2026 | Fire | FM-5678: Bull Fire |
| September 1, 2026 | Fire | EM-3653: Hawk Fire |
| August 22, 2026 | Fire | FM-5674: Hawk Fire |
| August 11, 2026 | Fire | FM-5667: Fred Mountain Fire |
| August 11, 2026 | Fire | FM-5668: Stallion Fire |
Jobs and pay in Washoe County
Washoe County had 240,544 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,452 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Sun Valley itself the ACS puts it at 6.7%.
Public schools in Sun Valley
1 public school with 918 students, about 20.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| DESERT SKIES MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 918 | 20.9 |
Towns near Sun Valley
- Sparks, NV4.1 mi · 108,445 people · home $483,800
- Reno, NV5.7 mi · 264,165 people · home $548,300
- Lemmon Valley, NV6.1 mi · 4,987 people · home $384,000
- Spanish Springs, NV6.5 mi · 17,314 people · home $623,900
- Cold Springs, NV12.1 mi · 10,153 people · home $433,300
- Washoe Valley, NV22.0 mi · 3,074 people · home $609,700
- Incline Village, NV25.5 mi · 9,462 people · home $1,454,600
- Dayton, NV26.5 mi · 15,153 people · home $433,200
Sun Valley questions
Is Sun Valley, Nevada a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sun Valley scores better for retirees than 5% of Nevada towns and quieter than 18%. 12.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.8).
How much does a house cost in Sun Valley?
The median owner-occupied home in Sun Valley is valued at $349,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,446, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $1,214 a month.
What is the weather like in Sun Valley?
July highs average 92.7°F and January lows 27.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 8.1 inches of precipitation a year and 29.7 inches of snow.
Does Sun Valley get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sun Valley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on July 16, 1973. 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)