1st Advantage MortgageThe median Storey County household earns $93,409, and 7% of residents live below the poverty line. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- A quick profile of Storey County
- What Storey County households earn
- Housing costs in Storey County
- How Storey County residents earn a living
- Places inside Storey County
- Storey County and the counties next door
- A Storey County household budget, worked through
- Borrowing situations common in Storey County
- Storey County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Four steps for Storey County borrowers
- Lender oversight for Storey County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Storey County
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Storey County's population at 4,140; only 14 of Nevada's 17 county-level areas are larger. It covers 264 square miles of land, or about 16 people per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Reno, NV metropolitan area. The Census Bureau counts 1 place in the county (0 incorporated, 1 census-designated); the largest is Virginia City, with about 644 residents, or 16% of the county. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Storey County figure on this page as a rough guide.
What Storey County households earn
The median household income in Storey County is $93,409; statewide it is $78,260, so Storey County runs 19% above Nevada as a whole. In the state ranking that is 1st of 17.
| Band | Storey County | Compared with Nevada |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 19.6% | -1.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 32.7% | -8.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 34.3% | +6.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 13.4% | +2.5 pts |
About 20% of households earn under $35,000, while 48% clear $100,000. 7.1% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 12.4%). If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Storey County median.
Housing costs in Storey County
Renters in Storey County pay a median of $1,153 a month, 28% below the Nevada figure of $1,597. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 51% of renter households here. With a median value of $426,400, a typical Storey County house costs 4.6 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 96%. Median construction year: 1989.
| Measure | Storey County | Nevada | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,153/mo | $1,597/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $426,400 | $435,400 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 96% | 60% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 51% | 56% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 32% | 31% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 19.0% | 5.2% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Storey County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it. Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
How Storey County residents earn a living
Manufacturing employs 23% of working residents, the largest share; education and health care is next with 19%. The sharpest difference from the state is in manufacturing, at 23% locally and 5% for Nevada. Averaged over the five survey years, 6.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 34% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 17% work from home. Only 1.6% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Where residents work | Storey County | Difference from Nevada |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 23.1% | +17.8 pts |
| Education and health care | 18.8% | +1.7 pts |
| Construction | 11.3% | +3.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.5% | -0.6 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.7% | -3.0 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.3% | -12.3 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Places inside Storey County
Just one Census place, Virginia City, lies mainly within Storey County; it holds about 644 people. Live in one of these Storey County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia City | CDP | 644 | $114,000 | n/a | 11 mi |
Storey County and the counties next door
Six nearby counties, 23 to 67 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $63,355 in Sierra County to $105,521 in Alpine County; 1 of these neighbors top Storey County's median. The list crosses into California, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Storey County | - | $93,409 | $1,153/mo | 96% |
| Carson City, NV | 23 mi | $72,355 | $1,248/mo | 62% |
| Lyon County, NV | 34 mi | $80,812 | $1,326/mo | 77% |
| Douglas County, NV | 37 mi | $90,754 | $1,593/mo | 79% |
| Sierra County, CA | 54 mi | $63,355 | n/a | 72% |
| Alpine County, CA | 58 mi | $105,521 | n/a | 78% |
| Nevada County, CA | 67 mi | $89,882 | $1,677/mo | 75% |
A Storey County household budget, worked through
Here is the Storey County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Monthly gross at the median, Storey County: $7,784
- Rent at the median, $1,153, takes 15% of that
- $1,649: what a 36% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $2,194 left for all other debt payments
Two-income households and single earners in Storey County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Borrowing situations common in Storey County
Based on the Storey County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Keeping the car running. At 34% with long commutes, repairs are a frequent Storey County emergency; first decide if the car is worth fixing.
- Manufactured homes. 19% of Storey County housing units are mobile homes, and their repairs are often paid with unsecured loans. Get the quote in writing.
- Retirees. At a median age of 52.8, many borrowers here rely on award letters as proof of income; favor no prepayment penalty.
- Six-figure budgets. For the 48% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
Storey County residents: age, schooling, coverage
31% of Storey County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 4% go without health insurance.
| Residents | Storey County | Nevada | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.8 | 39.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 31.2% | 27.9% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.4% | 12.5% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.4% | 11.4% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 1.6% | 7.0% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 17.5% | 11.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 7.1% | 12.4% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.5% | 7.0% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Storey County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 17.2% |
| 15 to 29 min | 21.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 27.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 18.8% |
| 60+ min | 15.7% |
Four steps for Storey County borrowers
Before you apply, wherever you live in Storey County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Nevada.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Lender oversight for Storey County
Consumer lenders serving Storey County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Nevada that is the Nevada Financial Institutions Division. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. More on Nevada: Nevada personal loans.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Nevada guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Storey County earn?
The median is $93,409; 48% earn $100,000 or more and 20% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
Is Storey County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,153 against $1,597 statewide, and 51% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Should Storey County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 96% of Storey County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
What are the biggest places in Storey County?
By population: Virginia City. The county has 1 Census place in all.
Is the fit check different in Storey County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.