Moving from Bakersfield to Reno

Bakersfield is at the south end of the San Joaquin Valley, 383 feet above sea level, and the straight line to Reno is about 291 miles. The road is 120 miles longer because the Sierra blocks the direct line and a household truck has to go north up the whole valley.

The length of the Central Valley

Nearly the whole route is CA 99: 274 miles from Bakersfield through Tulare, Fresno, Merced, Modesto and Stockton to Sacramento. A further 9 miles of I-80 Business and 124 miles of I-80 take the truck from Sacramento to Reno. The route crosses no other state highway for more than a few miles.

The 411-mile distance and 7 hours 47 minutes of free-flow driving make this the longest of the Central Valley routes. Hours-of-service limits for drivers mean a long haul like this is planned as a full travel day, and your written estimate sets the delivery window.

Donner Summit is the last hurdle

After 280 miles of flat valley the truck climbs to Donner Summit at about 7,200 feet. Bakersfield gets about 6 inches of rain a year and almost no snow, so winter on I-80 is a new experience for many households. Caltrans QuickMap lists chain controls, and NDOT covers Nevada.

Winter dates need extra room. Read moving in winter in the Sierra before you pick a date.

Bakersfield and Reno compared

Bakersfield city has about 412,000 residents, a median household income near $80,540, a median gross rent near $1,472 and a median home value near $371,700 in the American Community Survey. Reno city's medians are $80,760, $1,556 and $548,300. Income is nearly equal, but a Reno home costs more.

Climate is a larger contrast. Bakersfield's July high averages about 98 with a low near 71; Reno's July high is about 94 with a low near 60, so nights cool off. January highs are 59 in Bakersfield and 48 in Reno. Reno gets about 21 inches of snow a year and Bakersfield almost none; total precipitation is low at both ends, about 6 inches in Bakersfield and 7 in Reno.

How O'Brien's coordinates the move

You book with O'Brien's, and we coordinate the move from your Kern County home through the Bekins network. O'Brien's then delivers, unpacks and stores in the Reno-Sparks area. Pricing follows weight and the services you pick, with an itemized written estimate.

The Census counts few people moving from Kern County to Washoe each year, with a margin of error as large as the estimate, so the data say only that households move in both directions.

Getting started

Start with the interstate move walkthrough, then request a free in-home estimate.