Moving from Detroit to Reno

Detroit is the center of a metro area of about 4.4 million people. The Census counts about 52 people a year moving to Washoe County from Wayne County, Michigan, Macomb County, Michigan and Oakland County, Michigan (2016 to 2020 estimates), but the margin of error is as large as the estimate, so the safest reading is that households travel in both directions. From there the road to Reno is 2,177 miles.

The drive: 2,177 miles from Sparks to Detroit

The routing tool puts the road at 2,177 miles and 37 h 24 min with no stops, no traffic and no weather. At 500 miles a day a driver needs five days. The map distance is 1,909 miles, so the road is about 268 miles longer than the crow flies. Your written estimate sets the delivery window; the driving time only describes the road.

By mileage the route reads I-80 for 1,968 miles, I-94 for 137 miles, M-14 for 22 miles and I-96 for 15 miles. That makes I-80 the road that matters most, at roughly 90 percent.

Detroit's route begins with I-94, M-14 and I-96, which together cover 174 miles, and then I-80 handles 1,968 of the total. The result is a trip with a clear sequence: southeast Michigan, then the Indiana and Illinois side of the Great Lakes, then the long run across Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming and Utah. Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties all feed onto the same corridor, so a move from the suburbs and one from the city start the same way.

Reading the road numbers

Split into 500-mile days, the 2,177 miles make four full days and a last day of about 177 miles. A pace of 58 miles per hour over the free-flow time shows how the figure is built: it assumes steady highway speeds and no stops. The clock changes too: Reno keeps Pacific Time, three hours behind your starting point.

If you follow the truck in your own vehicle, the long I-80 stretch is where fuel, food and rest stops are easiest to find.

Terrain and weather on the way

Detroit sits at 639 feet and Reno at about 4,930. The routing tool shows no named pass, and the grades on I-80 are gentle until the Wyoming plateau. Lake-effect snow can make the first day the hard one in January, and Wyoming can make a later day hard in any winter month. Michigan's MiDrive map covers the first leg.

Before loading day, check the state road-conditions site listed below for the start of the route and the Nevada road map (NDOT) for the finish.

Timing the trip and planning your own drive

For a 2,177-mile trip, the calendar matters more than the map. Winter storms on the plains and in Wyoming are the usual cause of delays, while June through August fills the schedule with other households, so spring and fall tend to be the calmer choices.

A route that leans on I-80 for 90 percent of its length is easy to follow and easy to delay, so the plan keeps some room in the schedule. If you drive your own vehicle, split the 2,177 miles into five days of about 500 miles and book lodging near the end of each day.

What changes when you arrive in Reno

Census figures put the median home value in Detroit at $83,900 and the median rent at $1,074 a month, while Reno city has a median home value of $548,300 and a median rent of $1,556. For household income the Census median in Reno city is $80,760, against $39,938 in Detroit. The table above puts both ends side by side.

Climate is the change people feel. Detroit averages about 30 inches of precipitation a year, with a January low of 19.8 and a July high of 83.5 degrees. Reno averages 7.3 inches, with 26.1 and 93.9 degrees and about 21 inches of snow.

The city and the metro area read very differently on the Census tables. Detroit city has a median home value of $83,900, the metro has $249,700, and Reno city has $548,300. If you are selling a Detroit home to buy in Reno, the gap is a budgeting question to settle early, long before the truck is loaded.

How the move works with O'Brien's

O'Brien's takes your booking in Sparks. From there we coordinate the move from your Detroit address through the Bekins network, and the Reno end is ours: delivery, unpacking and, if you need it, storage. The delivery window comes from your written estimate.

The estimate is itemized, written and priced by weight. Start with a call to 775-359-6683, an online request or the free in-home estimate, which includes 10 free heavy-duty boxes to keep. You receive an itemized inventory and condition report before packing begins.

If your Reno or Sparks home is not ready on delivery day, the shipment can go into our 30,000 square foot Sparks warehouse; vault storage starts from $40 per month. Our guide to how an interstate move works explains the steps in order.

Getting settled in Reno

Nevada gives new residents 30 days to register a vehicle and 30 days to get a Nevada driver's license. Utilities, schools and county services are covered in our moving to Reno guide, and the Michigan to Reno page covers the state-level changes.