Carson City, NV: What's it like to live there?

[MarkBC]

I'm looking for input from folks who live in/around Carson City, Nevada or have in the recent past.
Any big downsides to living in Carson City or the general area?

This is WTW and camping-related, for me, because if I lived in Carson City, NV (or thereabouts) I'd be a lot closer to most places I want to wander and camp than where I live now. Close/closer to places like the eastern Sierra of CA, central and eastern Nevada, Mojave and Sonoran destinations.

One online source shows cost of living at 10% higher than USA average...but where I live now, Bend, Oregon, is listed at 33% higher than USA average, so that sounds fine.
Seems like Carson City is big enough that that there are enough services for my basic needs, and Reno is close enough for bigger-city needs.

I don't know if I'll really do this -- move from Bend...but long before I retired it's something I said I'd do when I retired, and I've been work-free for over 5 years now. At the time I thought that Bishop, CA would be my destination, but I've since decided that Bishop is too hot in the summer.

Thanks in advance, guys, for your personal experience on Carson.

 

[craig333]

Wow, Carson reminds me way too much of Sacramento. Location not so bad but its a big spread out town. Yeah its got stuff. Still you can get Fedex to deliver down dirt roads. I'm considering NV when I retire but I haven't decided on where either.

 

[Vic]

Lived in Carson City for a number of years, and now on the outskirts of Reno. Weather is nice - 4 real seasons but none too extreme. Lot of housing options depending on how close you want to be to services, etc. Check out Minden/ Gardnerville area a few miles south for more of a country feel, and Dayton/ Fernley to the east for much cheaper housing stock. General employment options are a little limited in Carson but sounds like that isn't a factor. Great recreation opportunities all around. We came here for a year or two in 1996 intending to make our way back to Montana, and now doubt we'll leave. Nevada was hit hard during the recession but seems to be making a strong comeback. Let me know if you have any specific questions. -Vic

 

[GroovyDad]

I live on the southern outskirts of Reno and I love it. Like Vic said above, I'd check the Minden/Gardnerville areas, which are just south of Carson. Gardnerville is MUCH nicer than Carson, yet still close enough to Carson/Reno. I'm in law enforcement and I can tell you that Carson has a bigger crime problem than does Reno or Garderville, when considering their respective sizes. Additionally, Reno/Gardnerville has, in my opinion, a much better quality of life.

I'm thinking of downsizing in the Reno area prior to mandatory retirement in 5 years and Carson is NOT on my radar at all. Personally, I'd keep myself in either Washoe or Douglas counties if considering northern NV.

 

[MarkBC]

Thanks guys.
As it turns out, Gardnerville/Minden had been my original idea (in modern times, post-Bishop-fantasy) for a relocation spot. A friend who lives in Bridgeport suggested those twin cities a few years ago when I told him I longed to live near the eastern Sierra. (Bridgeport, itself, being too cold in winter and very few services)
Carson City just came to mind recently 'cause I thought there'd be more housing options than those smaller towns. But if Carson is considered a pit (relatively) then I'll go back to pondering on G/M. I'd rather be more south than more north (i.e., not as far north as Reno).

And -- kind of a coincidence: While I was camped at the spot off Dunderberg Rd last month a couple of guys in a 4-wheeler circled up to my camp and stopped, and we chatted a bit. When they told me that they live in Gardnerville I asked them what it's like to live there. They both were natives of Gardnerville -- born and raised, life-long residents, so probably lacked perspective (in my opinion), but FWIW they said it was a great place to live. Then one of the guys reached into his wallet and handed me his card: he's a realtor and he told me to send him an email and he'd send me a pack of info on real estate in the G/M area.
So maybe I'll do that.

Thanks.

 

[pvstoy]

Hey Mark, Back in 2010 you asked me about Bishop area and I said if it was not for needing full time employment I would been still living in Bishop Mammoth Lakes area.

I moved to Carson City in 1985 and have enjoyed living here. It is close to Eastern Sierra's to the south and short drive to Lake Tahoe. I like the short drive to Reno Airport and all the bigger services "IF" needed in Reno that is not available here in Carson City.

I have a different slanted view then others, I would NOT want to AT ALL live in the Reno / Sparks area. TOO many people and traffic and listening to the news there is always bad crime happening in the Reno area. Minden / Gardnerville is nice and there are pockets to look at for housing. There it is cheaper than Reno and Carson City for taxes and housing cost, and Carson City is cheaper than Reno. I retired from NDOT and I know about the traffic problems in Reno area.

I would look at housing between Carson City and Minden. There is nice views of the Sierra range from there. If I did not have so much remodeling going on I would invite you to camp in my driveway and check things out. Now that we have a nice lot and remodeling the house to make it our own, I'm going to stay in Carson City for many years to come.

But yes no matter what city you look at you will find crime and various problems, what is acceptably to you?

Cheers....

 

[MarkBC]

Thanks, Patrick, for the alternate view of Carson City.
For better or worse, I don't worry much about crime...maybe because there's none (or nearly none) on my street in Bend (which isn't a good reason, but there it is ). But I have friends who live in Portland, OR -- in an upscale area with $$$$$$$ homes -- and they say "yeah, there's been some cars broken into in our neighborhood", and there are gangs in Portland that we don't have in Bend -- but my PDX friends still love it and wouldn't think of moving.

For me the two biggest factors are geographic location and cost, so both of those factors might lead me to south of Carson City.
There's a decent chance (if I move at all) that I'd buy a townhouse and not another regular house-on-a-lot that I have now. I'm not interested in yard work and definitely not interested in acreage.

It may sound weird, but I don't care much what the city is like -- within reason. For example, Bend has quintupled in population since I moved here 38 years ago, so there's no way that it's the same town I moved to in 1978. And yet, I'm as satisfied with the town itself -- maybe more so -- as ever. I just wish it was located about 400 miles SSE from its current location.
My reason to consider relocating south (and a bit east) from Bend is to put me within easier striking distance of the places I most love to spend time -- not to find a really cool town: I already live in one.

Thanks, all, for your opinions.

 

[Advmoto18]

While I've never lived in Minden or Gardnerville, I have worked out of the Minden airport and stayed in town quite a few times. Minden seems like a great community. Same for Gardnerville.

I did several runs up US 395 to FedEx in Carson City. Carson didn't have that small town feel that I was expecting. Everything is spread out all over the place with stop lights everywhere. Took longer to get through Carson City to FedEx than the drive up from Minden.

If your a glider pilot, you'd be in glider heaven in Minden. Seems like there are more gliders than powered airplanes.

 

[Smokecreek1]

Mark
Here is another very good reason, other than location, climate and goodie stores, for a move to the Carson City/Reno area-one to think about! When you get old and start to fall apart (like me)-good medical and other services are close and have an easy access-meaning you can get there without either driving along way or even on a freeway if you don't feel like it. I am so glad that for most of the year that area is only a fast hour or hour and a half from Susanville.

Smoke