---
title: Washoe County, NV Tree and Wildfire Data Sheet
url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/washoe-county/
business: Battle Born Tree Service
address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701
phone: 775.232.8243
hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service
credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured
type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood)
---

- [Home](https://battleborntreeservice.com/)
- [Local data](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/)
- Washoe County data sheet

# Washoe County tree and wildfire data sheet

Washoe County has more places on our sheets than any other county, 25, and the widest spread of housing age among them, from a median build year of 1972 at Crystal Bay to 2007 in South Reno. The county as a whole ranks above 97.2% of US communities for wildfire risk to homes.

Compare the first column with the rest: that is where this place differs. Sources and dates sit under each table.

## Households and homes

| Measure | Washoe County | Nevada | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 199,296 | 1,202,593 | 129,227,496 |
| Population | 497,200 | 3,184,612 | 334,922,499 |
| Median year homes were built | 1991 | 1996 | 1980 |
| Homes built before 1960 | 9.2% | 4.7% | 25.6% |
| Homes built before 1980 | 35.0% | 22.0% | 49.7% |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 35.2% | 41.5% | 25.1% |
| Owner-occupied homes | 59.9% | 60.0% | 65.2% |
| Single-family detached homes | 58.9% | 60.4% | 61.3% |
| Mobile homes | 5.1% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| Households heating mainly with wood | 1.1% | 1.0% | 1.4% |
| Households heating mainly with bottled gas | 3.6% | 3.0% | 4.9% |
| Median home value | $539,900 | $435,400 | $332,700 |

Source: [U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates (tables B01003, B11001, B25003, B25024, B25034, B25035, B25040, B25077)](https://data.census.gov/). Survey estimates with margins of error.

## Wildfire risk to homes

| Measure | Washoe County |
|---|---|
| Risk to homes, higher than this share of Nevada communities | 62.5% |
| Risk to homes, higher than this share of US communities | 97.2% |
| Wildfire likelihood, Nevada percentile | 75% |
| Wildfire likelihood, US percentile | 97.3% |
| Buildings directly exposed | 16.3% |
| Buildings indirectly exposed | 50.6% |
| Buildings with minimal exposure | 33.0% |
| Buildings counted | 176,157 |

Source: [USDA Forest Service, Wildfire Risk to Communities, tabular download dated April 15, 2026](https://wildfirerisk.org/download/). County figures.

## Towns we serve in Washoe County

| Place | Households | Median year built | Wildfire risk to homes (US percentile) | Elevation | Sheet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reno | 114,322 | 1990 | 97.7% | 4,505 ft | Data sheet |
| South Reno | 16,848 | 2007 | no own record | 4,492 ft | |
| Galena and Mt. Rose Highway | 13,054 | 1997 | no own record | 5,634 ft | |
| Old Southwest Reno | 16,788 | 1975 | no own record | 4,593 ft | |
| Caughlin Ranch | 3,883 | 1993 | no own record | 4,884 ft | |
| Northwest Reno and Somersett | 16,342 | 1999 | no own record | 5,432 ft | |
| the North Valleys and Stead | 16,141 | 1999 | no own record | 5,075 ft | |
| Sparks | 42,414 | 1993 | 95% | 4,413 ft | Data sheet |
| Spanish Springs | 6,685 | 2002 | 98.6% | 4,522 ft | Data sheet |
| Sun Valley | 6,922 | 1990 | 97.7% | 4,720 ft | Data sheet |
| Lemmon Valley | 1,875 | 1979 | 99.2% | 4,954 ft | |
| Golden Valley | 419 | 1980 | 96.7% | 5,097 ft | |
| Cold Springs | 3,618 | 2004 | 98.4% | 5,057 ft | Data sheet |
| Verdi | 527 | 1986 | 98.8% | 4,897 ft | |
| Mogul | 474 | 1985 | 95% | 4,705 ft | |
| Washoe Valley | 1,300 | 1979 | 97.2% | 5,103 ft | |
| Palomino Valley | 610 | 1990 | no own record | 4,433 ft | |
| Southeast Reno and Hidden Valley | 19,348 | 1977 | no own record | 4,394 ft | |
| West Reno | 13,195 | 1975 | no own record | 4,742 ft | |
| North Central Reno and the University area | 11,442 | 1982 | no own record | 4,632 ft | |
| East Sparks | 10,973 | 1987 | no own record | 4,403 ft | |
| North Sparks and Wingfield Springs | 18,692 | 2004 | no own record | 4,526 ft | |
| Incline Village | 4,008 | 1981 | 97.7% | 6,437 ft | Data sheet |
| Crystal Bay | 65 | 1972 | 92.9% | 6,396 ft | |
| Wadsworth | 278 | 1983 | 88.1% | 4,073 ft | |

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 five-year estimates; USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (April 2026); USGS elevation. Towns and neighborhoods we serve in this county.

[Download this data sheet (CSV)](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/washoe-county/washoe-county.csv)

This sheet gives Washoe County's Census figures against Nevada and the United States, the county's Forest Service wildfire ranking, and a table of every Washoe County town and Reno or Sparks ZIP neighborhood we serve, with its own households, median year built, wildfire rank and elevation. It is the county overview. For one place, use the town sheet or the town page.

## A county of two ages

The median home was built in 1991, five years before the Nevada median. Homes built before 1980 are 35.0% of the total, against 22.0% for Nevada, and 9.2% were built before 1960, about twice the state's 4.7%. Yet 35.2% date from 2000 or later. Owner-occupancy is 59.9%, Nevada's figure almost exactly, and the median home value, $539,900, is about $100,000 above the state's $435,400.

Few households heat with wood, 1.1% against 1.0% for Nevada, and 3.6% use bottled gas, against 3.0%.

## Reading the place table

The oldest median in the table is Crystal Bay at 1972, followed by Old Southwest Reno and West Reno at 1975 and Lemmon Valley and Washoe Valley at 1979. The newest is South Reno at 2007, then North Sparks and Wingfield Springs and Cold Springs at 2004, and Spanish Springs at 2002. In the middle sit Reno at 1990, Sparks at 1993 and Sun Valley at 1990.

Elevation runs from 4,073 feet at Wadsworth to 6,437 feet at Incline Village and 6,396 feet at Crystal Bay. Twelve of the 25 rows are ZIP neighborhoods or ZIP-based areas that have no Forest Service community record of their own; the table says so, and for those places you use the city or the county figure.

## What the wildfire rows say

The county ranks above 97.2% of US communities and 62.5% of Nevada communities for risk to homes. Of 176,157 counted buildings, 16.3% are directly exposed, 50.6% indirectly and 33.0% minimally. Among the places with their own record, Lemmon Valley is highest at 99.2%, then Verdi at 98.8%, Spanish Springs at 98.6% and Cold Springs at 98.4%. Sparks and Mogul sit at 95.0%, Crystal Bay at 92.9% and Wadsworth, the lowest, at 88.1%.

A county figure averages very different ground, from the valley floor in Sparks to the Tahoe slopes at Incline Village, so use it as a frame, not as a prediction for one street.

## What it means for trees and for the work

The age spread is the practical point. Older Reno neighborhoods point to large trees and [tree removal](https://battleborntreeservice.com/service-areas/reno/tree-removal/); younger ones such as Spanish Springs and Cold Springs point to pruning and [defensible space](https://battleborntreeservice.com/service-areas/spanish-springs/defensible-space/). For wind and snow context, see the statewide [high wind](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/high-wind-events-by-county/) and [winter storm](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/winter-storm-events-by-county/) pages.

Washoe County includes the Nevada side of the lake at Incline Village and Crystal Bay, where Tahoe Regional Planning Agency rules apply. Of the places with their own sheets, the drive from our Carson City yard runs from 30.7 miles to Incline Village to 49.6 miles to Cold Springs, without traffic.

### Sources

- [U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates](https://data.census.gov/) (pulled October 1, 2026)
- [USDA Forest Service: Wildfire Risk to Communities (tabular download dated April 15, 2026)](https://wildfirerisk.org/download/) (pulled October 1, 2026)
- [NOAA NCEI: U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-based-station/us-climate-normals) (pulled October 1, 2026)
- [National Interagency Fire Center: InterAgency Fire Perimeter History and WFIGS perimeters](https://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/) (pulled October 1, 2026)

### Talk to the office

[775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243)

| Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered |

Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service.

[Free estimate](#quote)

### Keep reading

- [Reno, Sparks and the Truckee Meadows](https://battleborntreeservice.com/service-areas/reno-sparks/)
- [Reno](https://battleborntreeservice.com/service-areas/reno/)
- [Reno tree and wildfire data sheet](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/reno/)
- [Sparks tree and wildfire data sheet](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/sparks/)
- [How old are the homes, and the trees? Housing age by town](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/housing-age-by-town/)
- [Wildfire risk to homes by community in Northern Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/data/wildfire-risk-by-community/)
- [Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District](https://battleborntreeservice.com/fire-districts/truckee-meadows-fpd/)

## Questions people ask

Still have a question? Call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243). Phones are answered seven days a week.

### Which Washoe County place has the oldest homes?

Crystal Bay, with a median build year of 1972, though it has only 65 households and a wide margin of error. Among larger places, Old Southwest Reno and West Reno are at 1975.

### Why do some Washoe County places show no wildfire rank?

The Forest Service ranks Census places. ZIP-based neighborhoods like South Reno and Galena have no place record of their own, so the city or county figure applies.

### Is Washoe County higher risk than Nevada as a whole?

The county ranks above 62.5% of Nevada communities and above 97.2% of US communities for risk to homes. The county is a mix, from Sparks at 95.0% to Lemmon Valley at 99.2%.