Sacramento is a short enough drive from Reno that many households visit before they decide. Here is how the two cities line up on the numbers that change with a move.
Distance and the Donner Summit crossing
The route runs along I-80 for about 124 of its 133.8 miles and crosses Donner Summit at roughly 7,200 feet. The summit is the only real weather variable between the two cities: in winter, chain controls and closures can apply, and in summer the road is fast. See our winter driving guide and the Sacramento to Reno route page.
A Nevada and California move is an interstate move under federal rules, so O'Brien's books it as a Bekins agent move: you book with O'Brien's, and we coordinate it from your Sacramento origin through the Bekins network, then deliver, unpack and store in Sparks.
Housing numbers
The 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey puts Sacramento city's median home value at $506,300 and Reno's at $548,300, so a Sacramento seller does not always gain equity by moving. Rent runs the other way: $1,779 in Sacramento and $1,556 in Reno. Median household income is $87,321 in Sacramento city and $80,760 in Reno city.
The Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom metro is a different picture: its median home value is $589,500, which is why many suburban sellers do see a difference.
Taxes: the largest gap
California's Franchise Tax Board schedule for 2025 lists a top marginal rate of 12.3 percent, and the state's base sales tax is 7.25 percent. Nevada has no individual income tax and a 6.85 percent statewide minimum sales tax, with county add-ons.
Vehicles change too. California asks new residents to register a vehicle within 20 days and get a license within 10; Nevada gives you 30 days for both, as our new resident checklist explains.
Weather
Sacramento's January high is 56.5 F and its July high 94.4 F, with 19.2 inches of rain and no snow. Reno averages 47.7 F in January and 93.9 F in July, with 7.35 inches of precipitation and 20.9 inches of snow. Summer afternoons feel alike, but winter is where the cities part ways: Reno's overnight low reaches freezing on about 122 days a year.
Planning the move
Many Sacramento households ask for a packing day before the load day. O'Brien's offers full, partial and box-only packing; see packing. A free in-home estimate comes with 10 free heavy-duty boxes you keep, and vault storage from $40 per month covers a gap between closings. Call 775-359-6683.