A new job is the reason behind many moves to Northern Nevada, and the sectors that employ the most people tell you where the work is. These figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which publishes employment by industry for the Reno metro area each month.
Employment by sector, August 2026
The BLS Current Employment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted, show these totals for the Reno metro area. Figures are in jobs and are rounded to the nearest hundred.
| Sector | Jobs, August 2026 |
|---|---|
| Total nonfarm | 284,900 |
| Trade, transportation and utilities | 61,300 |
| Leisure and hospitality | 41,500 |
| Professional and business services | 35,700 |
| Education and health services | 34,200 |
| Manufacturing | 32,000 |
| Government | 30,100 |
A year earlier, in August 2025, total nonfarm employment was about 282,500, so the area added roughly 2,400 jobs in twelve months. Manufacturing grew from 31,300 to 32,000 and trade, transportation and utilities from 60,300 to 61,300.
Unemployment and the labor force
The BLS local area unemployment series puts the Reno metro rate at 3.5 percent for August 2026 (preliminary), against 4.2 percent in August 2025. The labor force is about 296,500 people. Rates move month to month, so check the BLS for the latest reading before you rely on one.
Logistics, warehousing and trucking
Reno sits where I-80 and US 395 meet, and the logistics sector shows it. The BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages counted 217 warehousing and storage establishments in Washoe County in 2025, employing 9,662 people at an average annual pay of 59,148 dollars. Truck transportation added 212 establishments and 3,333 jobs, with an average pay of 76,899 dollars.
Occupational wage data from May 2025 show 4,170 heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in the metro area earning a mean wage of 32.38 dollars an hour, against 28.71 dollars nationally, and 2,560 industrial truck operators at 24.27 dollars. The BLS counts 22 establishments and 191 jobs in the local industry for used household and office goods moving.
Pay and household income
The Census Bureau's median household income for Reno is 80,760 dollars and for the Reno metro area 87,485 dollars. The one-year survey puts Washoe County at 91,241 dollars in 2024, up from 49,026 dollars in 2012. The cost of living page shows how those incomes compare with local prices.
If your employer is sending you
O'Brien's offers employee and corporate relocation from its Sparks warehouse. The moving for a new job guide covers what to ask your employer, how a relocation package usually works with a mover, and which expenses may matter to your tax return. A free in-home estimate gives you a written number to bring to that conversation.