Reno living conditions?

[SPX]

I have a tendency to jump states about once a year. I'm currently living in Salt Lake City but feel like my time is almost up here. Wendover is nice and I get a chance to get out there from time to time, but it's still a little farther than I would like.

I'd like to live in a casino town, but that basically means the MS Coast, Atlantic City, Vegas or Reno. MS and NJ don't really appeal to me and I've heard that not only is Vegas expensive but it's kind of a ghetto when you get off the strip.

So that leaves Reno. For those who live there or who have spent extensive amounts of time there, what can you tell? I've never been there and really know very little about the place. How big is the city? What's the cost of living like? What's the median age? What kind of city is it for someone in their mid-20s?

Any help would be appreciated. . .

 

[sagefr0g]

I have a tendency to jump states about once a year. I'm currently living in Salt Lake City but feel like my time is almost up here. Wendover is nice and I get a chance to get out there from time to time, but it's still a little farther than I would like.

I'd like to live in a casino town, but that basically means the MS Coast, Atlantic City, Vegas or Reno. MS and NJ don't really appeal to me and I've heard that not only is Vegas expensive but it's kind of a ghetto when you get off the strip.

So that leaves Reno. For those who live there or who have spent extensive amounts of time there, what can you tell? I've never been there and really know very little about the place. How big is the city? What's the cost of living like? What's the median age? What kind of city is it for someone in their mid-20s?

Any help would be appreciated. . .

i haven't the foggiest. sounds like a neat place though:
http://www.city-data.com/city/Reno-Nevada.html

 

[bj bob]

I have a tendency to jump states about once a year. I'm currently living in Salt Lake City but feel like my time is almost up here. Wendover is nice and I get a chance to get out there from time to time, but it's still a little farther than I would like.

I'd like to live in a casino town, but that basically means the MS Coast, Atlantic City, Vegas or Reno. MS and NJ don't really appeal to me and I've heard that not only is Vegas expensive but it's kind of a ghetto when you get off the strip.

So that leaves Reno. For those who live there or who have spent extensive amounts of time there, what can you tell? I've never been there and really know very little about the place. How big is the city? What's the cost of living like? What's the median age? What kind of city is it for someone in their mid-20s?

Any help would be appreciated. . .

Reno is a very high desert city, located right against the Eastern Sierra with a populatin of 180,000. The median age is 34.5, 77% White, 14.8% Latino.49.12%female, 46.88% male, the remainder go both ways.
I suggest that you spend a week and drive the 500 miles and check it out. The cost of living is very cheap vs. the Bay Area, but may be more in line with where you live now. The town is about 45 mins. from Lake Tahoe and 30 min. from Carson City. There are great SD games all over the place, fantasic water skiing in the summer, world class ski slopes in the winter e.g. Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Heavenly etc. It's a unique blend of mountain and desert environment. As far as someone in their 20's, there are plenty of clubs, bars, chicks, sports and several famous happy ranches. so go west, young man and check it out first.

 

[EasyRhino]

Look out for the killer earthquake swarms.

 

[SPX]

i haven't the foggiest. sounds like a neat place though:
http://www.city-data.com/city/Reno-Nevada.html

Thanks for the link, Sage. I agree . . . it doesn't LOOK like a bad place.

 

[SPX]

Reno is a very high desert city, located right against the Eastern Sierra with a populatin of 180,000. The median age is 34.5, 77% White, 14.8% Latino.49.12%female, 46.88% male, the remainder go both ways.
I suggest that you spend a week and drive the 500 miles and check it out. The cost of living is very cheap vs. the Bay Area, but may be more in line with where you live now. The town is about 45 mins. from Lake Tahoe and 30 min. from Carson City. There are great SD games all over the place, fantasic water skiing in the summer, world class ski slopes in the winter e.g. Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Heavenly etc. It's a unique blend of mountain and desert environment. As far as someone in their 20's, there are plenty of clubs, bars, chicks, sports and several famous happy ranches. so go west, young man and check it out first.

Hey, Bob-O. Thanks for the great info. Let me ask you this. . . If money was no object, where would YOU prefer to live, Reno or Vegas? I like the fact that Vegas is obviously a much bigger city with presumably a lot more to do, but I hear that not only is it expensive but away from the Strip it's dirty, gang-infested and suffers from terrible traffic.

I don't have a car right now (which is mostly why I don't get to Wendover as often as I like . . . that and the little fact that I'm usually broke) but I think I will try to make a trip out there, as you suggest. I usually make my moves blind (I moved to Dallas, Minneapolis and SLC all sight unseen) but I will have to proceed with caution this time around. 200,000 people is pretty small for a city.

I like SLC but it hasn't really been everything that I hoped it would be. Maybe it's the Mormon influence or maybe it's just that I haven't met the right people, but things haven't really "clicked" for me here and I'm already looking to roll out. I have a brother who lives in Portland, but the rain and the lack of casinos is probably a deal-breaker on that one.

 

[moo321]

What about Memphis/Tunica?

 

[SPX]

What about Memphis/Tunica?

Ha ha, funny you should mention that. I was BORN in Memphis and have spent considerable time there. My mother is still there as a matter of fact.

Here's how I feel about Memphis. . . Memphis is like that girl you see walking down the street. Give her a glance she looks dirty, malnutritioned and cracked out. . . But then you look at her a little more closely and you realize that underneath all that she's actually kind of cute. Clean her up, feed her, take a way the crack pipe and put here in the gym for a few months and she'll look great.

Memphis is that girl . . . it's a city with potential but it needs some serious work to live up to that potential.

 

[RenoRenagade]

, 77% White, 14.8% Latino.

Yea , I lived in socal till about a year and a half ago before I moved to reno. Ill say this im mexican and am used to like 70% Black and Mexican and 30% White. I knew when I moved here is was the opposite when my wifes family told me the breakdown . They are like its 90% White/Mexican and the rest is under 10%.

So that leaves Reno. For those who live there or who have spent extensive amounts of time there, what can you tell? .

When me and wife decided to move it was between Vegas and Reno. And when it came down to it Reno was better. Vegas is only nice if you live in Summerlin and in Reno there are a couple of nice places to live I ended up in North Reno in the middle of nowhere in a nice track house area and it was a LOT cheaper than summerlin in Vegas.

But if money wasnt an issue then I would pick Reno still. Its a lot nicer place to live. I spent 10 years going to Vegas like 20 times a year. And its only getting worse.

As far as stuff to do at your age which is also my age . There are casinos lol. If you hobby is cards then there are lots of good casinos for both blackjack and poker. You have tahoe 30 min away like Bob said. Also you have lots of places to go off roading and wheeling if you like that stuff.

It does snow for like 4 months of the year.

Well hope that helps.

 

[shadroch]

Plenty of nice places in Vegas not named Summerlin.I guess Summerlin is kool if you don't mind people telling you what kind of flowers you can grow,and what color your window frames can be.
I've never been to Reno.I'll never live in places with four months of snow again.

 

[nc-tom]

I have a tendency to jump states about once a year. I'm currently living in Salt Lake City but feel like my time is almost up here. Wendover is nice and I get a chance to get out there from time to time, but it's still a little farther than I would like.

I'd like to live in a casino town, but that basically means the MS Coast, Atlantic City, Vegas or Reno. MS and NJ don't really appeal to me and I've heard that not only is Vegas expensive but it's kind of a ghetto when you get off the strip.

So that leaves Reno. For those who live there or who have spent extensive amounts of time there, what can you tell? I've never been there and really know very little about the place. How big is the city? What's the cost of living like? What's the median age? What kind of city is it for someone in their mid-20s?
Any help would be appreciated. . .

SPX the citys motto is " the biggest little city in the world" should give you a hint as to what the city thinks about itself. cost of living is reasonable though. for a 20 something it has got to be more fun than SLC, IMHO.

 

[Nuh-vad-uh]

I hate to break it to you guys but half, hell, all of you talking about Las Vegas are full of ****. Sure it is going to be more expensive in Las Vegas that is because it is a big city and all big cities are expensive and trafficky. To say that Las Vegas is gang infested and dirty is completely false. The area just outside the Strip is gang infested and dirty I will agree with that. Around the University is pretty bad as well.

Take your asses out of the casinos and head out to Henderson or also as someone else said Summerlin. Personally I live right outside of Henderson and Las Vegas on Windmill and Eastern. There is no problems whatsoever and it is very nice. There is also expansion going on in the Blue Diamond area that is very nice.

Lastly, I am guessing you guys hating on Las Vegas have rarely if ever gone to Reno. If you have you would know that Reno has far more ghetto ass places than Vegas does. There are some dirty ass ghetto ass places let me tell you.

I think the general problem here is that people only go downtown or to the Strip and maybe venture slightly off and see some bad places so automatically they assume it is terrible. Take yourself 15-20 minutes away and you will find what you are looking for.

 

[rollem411]

Take yourself 15-20 minutes away and you will find what you are looking for.

A Rub and Tug??

 

[moo321]

I hate to break it to you guys but half, hell, all of you talking about Las Vegas are full of ****. Sure it is going to be more expensive in Las Vegas that is because it is a big city and all big cities are expensive and trafficky. To say that Las Vegas is gang infested and dirty is completely false. The area just outside the Strip is gang infested and dirty I will agree with that. Around the University is pretty bad as well.

Take your asses out of the casinos and head out to Henderson or also as someone else said Summerlin. Personally I live right outside of Henderson and Las Vegas on Windmill and Eastern. There is no problems whatsoever and it is very nice. There is also expansion going on in the Blue Diamond area that is very nice.

Lastly, I am guessing you guys hating on Las Vegas have rarely if ever gone to Reno. If you have you would know that Reno has far more ghetto ass places than Vegas does. There are some dirty ass ghetto ass places let me tell you.

I think the general problem here is that people only go downtown or to the Strip and maybe venture slightly off and see some bad places so automatically they assume it is terrible. Take yourself 15-20 minutes away and you will find what you are looking for.

Not all big cities are expensive. Midwest cities besides Chicago are usually cheap. Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis.

 

[shadroch]

Cinncinati-LOL:laugh:

 

[Automatic Monkey]

I hate to break it to you guys but half, hell, all of you talking about Las Vegas are full of ****. Sure it is going to be more expensive in Las Vegas that is because it is a big city and all big cities are expensive and trafficky. To say that Las Vegas is gang infested and dirty is completely false. The area just outside the Strip is gang infested and dirty I will agree with that. Around the University is pretty bad as well.

Take your asses out of the casinos and head out to Henderson or also as someone else said Summerlin. Personally I live right outside of Henderson and Las Vegas on Windmill and Eastern. There is no problems whatsoever and it is very nice. There is also expansion going on in the Blue Diamond area that is very nice.

Lastly, I am guessing you guys hating on Las Vegas have rarely if ever gone to Reno. If you have you would know that Reno has far more ghetto ass places than Vegas does. There are some dirty ass ghetto ass places let me tell you.

I think the general problem here is that people only go downtown or to the Strip and maybe venture slightly off and see some bad places so automatically they assume it is terrible. Take yourself 15-20 minutes away and you will find what you are looking for.

Reno has some very poor areas but they're not particularly dangerous areas. The smallness and remoteness of Reno allows for more thorough law enforcement that keeps things reasonably safe. If you want trouble in Reno you have to go actively looking for it. Or go to the Cal-Neva!

LV on the other hand has a lot more transients and psychiatric subjects walking around, and you are also more likely to be victimized by a drunken tourist. So trouble is more likely to find you. Of course the Strip and Downtown are mostly safe, just like the moneymaking areas of any city.

 

[moo321]

I don't trust the cops in Reno. Haven't you seen Reno 911?

 

[SPX]

When me and wife decided to move it was between Vegas and Reno. And when it came down to it Reno was better. Vegas is only nice if you live in Summerlin and in Reno there are a couple of nice places to live I ended up in North Reno in the middle of nowhere in a nice track house area and it was a LOT cheaper than summerlin in Vegas.

But if money wasnt an issue then I would pick Reno still. Its a lot nicer place to live. I spent 10 years going to Vegas like 20 times a year. And its only getting worse.

As far as stuff to do at your age which is also my age . There are casinos lol. If you hobby is cards then there are lots of good casinos for both blackjack and poker. You have tahoe 30 min away like Bob said. Also you have lots of places to go off roading and wheeling if you like that stuff.

It does snow for like 4 months of the year.

Well hope that helps.

That certainly does help. Thanks for the good information.

Do you find that Reno provides you with most of the amenities of a larger city? Would you say it has a "youthful" vibe to it? Overall, would you say you enjoy living there?

As for snow, that doesn't bother me. As a matter of fact, I LIKE to see some snow in the winter. It's a treat for me since I grew up down South where you see snow about 2 days out of the year.

 

[jetace]

As for home prices I think you can actually get a nicer home for the money in Vegas if you look in the right place. I attempted to get a job in Reno a while back and decided against it when I saw housing prices compared to Oregon.

(Dead link: http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/rfs/668845688.html)

(Dead link: http://reno.craigslist.org/rfs/668483563.html)

 

[bj bob]

Hey, Bob-O. Thanks for the great info. Let me ask you this. . . If money was no object, where would YOU prefer to live, Reno or Vegas? I like the fact that Vegas is obviously a much bigger city with presumably a lot more to do, but I hear that not only is it expensive but away from the Strip it's dirty, gang-infested and suffers from terrible traffic.




I like SLC but it hasn't really been everything that I hoped it would be. Maybe it's the Mormon influence or maybe it's just that I haven't met the right people, but things haven't really "clicked" for me here and I'm already looking to roll out. I have a brother who lives in Portland, but the rain and
the lack of casinos is probably a deal-breaker on that one.

The decision to chose between Reno and Vegas is, in the end, one of personal preference. Each of them have their own "personalities". Vegas has become a big city with all the associated problems and also ammenities as well. Such particulars as cost of living, year round weather, traffic, crime rate, schools (for later life), entertainment, social activities and of course BJ conditions should all be taken into consideration.
Personally, I preferred Vegas when I was in my 20's. My priorities were definitely different back then, but also Vegas was a completely different city in those days. Although it was a tourist attraction, it still maintained its Western town flavor. The Mob still controlled things and it's law enforcement naturally was impressive on and around the Strip. Traffic back then was not a big issue except weekends on the Strip. The casinos all over would offer $.99 breakfasts, $1.99 lunches and $3.99 dinners. It was definitely a bargain. Outside of Caesar's, MGM Grand, The Hilton and Trop, rooms were dirt cheap even on the Strip. Single deck BJ was dealt deep and most clubs offered surrender as well. Oh, The good 'ol days! The "standard" casinos such as The Stardust, Dunes, Sands, Circus and the Tropicana all exhibited their own theme without the gaudy over-the-top side shows of today. Although there is a lot to do in Vegas, there's not a lot to do outside of town. You're in the middle of the Mojave and it's still 110*+ in the summer.
What concerns me about Vegas today is that it has become over-commercialized in the sense that the casinos have evolved into Mega Malls while the pure, hard-core, classic games have turned into carnival entertainment. Just consider all the 6:5 and shoe crap the Strip promotes today, it's simply disgusting. A far cry indeed from the Vegas I used to love.
Reno, on the other hand is a small city and has always had the aura of a cattle, railroad, desert town with older, smaller casinos without all the glitz and glamor of Vegas. Although there is not quite the nightlife of Vegas, it does present itself more to the outdoorman type. The fishing, boating, camping, hiking, mountain climbing, skiing and even gold panning are very attractive to many folks, not to mention the good 'ol single deckers. Not to be overlooked is the fact that you're only 4-5 hours away from San Fransisco, Napa, Monterey etc. In the end, however, it's all up to you. Just have to do your homework before making the jump. Just as Los Angeles and San Francisco are vastly different, so too are Vegas and Reno. They both have their fervent disciples.