DC to Nevada Moving Guide
Updated June 8, 2025

Planning a 2,463 mile interstate move from DC to Nevada? This moving guide will help you compare living in DC vs Nevada across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like high cost of living vs lower living expenses), food & health (like Half-smoke vs Shrimp cocktail), real estate & housing (federal, victorian vs spanish, ranch), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in DC), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Half-smoke and Mumbo sauce wings, but get your taste buds ready for Shrimp cocktail & Prime rib
- Nevada housing costs are 30% less expensive than they are in DC
- Rent in Nevada is 27.61% more affordable than in DC
- Moving from DC to Nevada will cost on average between $2,500 - $9,500
- Our top recommended DC to Nevada movers is Anytime Anywhere Piano & Moving Co.
DC to Nevada Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from DC to Nevada
- High cost of living
- Heavy traffic
- Harsh winters
- High humidity
- Lower living expenses
- Less congestion
- Mild winters
- Dry climate
- Fewer historical sites
- Less culinary variety
- Car dependence
- Limited beach access
- Cultural attractions
- Diverse food scene
- Public transportation
- Proximity to the coast
Pros of moving from DC to Nevada
- Say goodbye to the high cost of living and hello to lower living expenses
- Look forward to moving away from heavy traffic and moving to Nevada with less congestion
- Swap the harsh winters of DC for mild winters in Nevada
- Get ready for a dry climate in Nevada
Cons of moving from DC to Nevada
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from cultural attractions in DC to live with fewer historical sites in Nevada
- You'll lose out on the pro of a diverse food scene and have to settle for the con of less culinary variety
- Time to bid farewell to public transportation and get used to car dependence in Nevada
- Swap proximity to the coast for limited beach access
DC vs. Nevada: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | DC | Nevada |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Half-smoke | Shrimp cocktail |
Most popular meat dish | Mumbo sauce wings | Prime rib |
Most popular street food item | Food trucks offerings | Tacos |
Most popular vegan food | Vegan chili | Veggie burger |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
|
|
Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | šŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖ | šŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖšŖ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | šššššššššš | šššššššššš |
Foodie Scene | š“š“š“š“š“š“š“š“š“š“ | š“š“š“š“š“š“š“š“š“š“ |
Vegan Friendly | š±š±š±š±š±š±š±š±š±š± | š±š±š±š±š±š±š±š±š±š± |
If you're moving from DC to Nevada, you will be trading the iconic Half-smoke of DC for the equally delicious Shrimp cocktail of Nevada. And while the locals in DC rave about their flavorful Mumbo sauce wings and sumptuous food truck offerings, Nevada residents know they have tasty Prime rib and Tacos to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Vegan chili they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Veggie burger of Nevada. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic DC eateries like Ben's Chili Bowl, Rosa's Thai Cafe, and Zaytinya. After the boxes are unpacked in Nevada, don't wait too long before making your way to Nevada's acclaimed eateries like Peppermill, Top of the World, and Echelon Foods.
When comparing lifestyles, Nevada shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than DC. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in Nevada compared to what you are used to in DC. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in Nevada.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between DC and Nevada
Comparison | DC | Nevada |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Federal, Victorian | Spanish, Ranch |
Walkability | šššššššššš | šššššššššš |
Bikeability | š²š²š²š²š²š²š²š²š²š² | š²š²š²š²š²š²š²š²š²š² |
Urban Lifestyle | šļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļø | šļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļøšļø |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Proximity to landmarks, metro access | Scenic views, open space |
- The Federal and Victorian architecture that DC is known for will be replaced with the Spanish and Ranch architecture typical of Nevada.
- Compared to DC's real estate listings that commonly reference proximity to landmarks and metro access, Nevada real estate listings often highlight features like scenic views and open space.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away. Nevada is less walkable than DC.
- You might want to think twice before moving your bike. Nevada is less bike-friendly than DC.
- Nevada has less of an urban feel than DC.
- Nevada housing costs are 30% less expensive than they are in DC, with a median home price of $432,764 compared to DCās $619,320.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Nevada have increased by 44% compared to an 8% increase in DC.
- Rent in Nevada is 27.61% more affordable than in DC.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between DC and Nevada
Comparison | DC | Nevada |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | āļøāļøāļøāļøāļø | āļøāļøāļøāļøāļø |
Avg. Annual Humidity | š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦ | š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦š¦ |
Avg. UV Index | š¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļø | š¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļøš¶ļø |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Floods | Earthquakes, Wildfires |
Air Quality | Moderate | Good to Moderate |
Average Summer High/Low (°F) | 87°F / 71°F | 100°F / 75°F |
Average Winter High/Low (°F) | 47°F / 29°F | 57°F / 32°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 40.74 | 10 (Varies greatly within state) |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 15.4 | 21.8 (Varies greatly within state) |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from DC to Nevada. Nevada gets 45% more sunshine days than DC.
- Nevada has lower humidity and a higher average UV index compared to DC.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and floods in DC, but be on the lookout for potential earthquakes and wildfires in Nevada.
- Get ready for warmer summers. The average summer high temperature in Nevada is 13 degrees warmer than in DC.
- The average winter lows are 3 degrees warmer than they are in DC.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in Nevada. Nevada receives 30.7 fewer inches of rain compared to DC.
Financial & Community Snapshot: DC and Nevada
Comparison | DC | Nevada |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $101,027 | $72,333 |
Cost of Living Index | 140.1 | 101.5 |
State Income Tax | 8.5% | 0% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.85% | 0.60% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 6.0% | 8.25% |
Top 3 Industries | Government, Education, Professional Services | Tourism, Mining, Logistics |
Affluence | High | Moderate |
Poverty | Low | Moderate |
Homelessness | Moderate | Low |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Nevada tend to earn about 28% less than in DC
- The COLI in Nevada will be 28% lower than what you are used to living in DC
- Hooray, moving to NV means you'll no longer have state income taxes
- The affluence in Nevada is moderate compared to high in DC
- The poverty level is moderate in Nevada compared to low in DC
- In terms of homelessness, it is moderate in DC and low in Nevada
Political and Religious Climate in DC vs. Nevada
Comparison | DC | Nevada |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Heavily Democratic | Swing State, leans Democratic in recent elections |
Local Politics | Highly engaged, focus on national and local issues | Variable engagement, local issues more prominent |
Religion | Christianity prominent, but diverse religious landscape | Christianity major, but growing diversity in religious beliefs |
- DC tends to lean heavily Democratic in its political climate
- Nevada, on the other hand, is often described as a swing state that leans Democratic in recent elections
- Nevada's religious environment can be described as predominantly Christianity but with a growing diversity in religious beliefs
- DC's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as predominantly Christianity but with a diverse religious landscape
Education Guide When Moving from DC to Nevada
Comparison | DC | Nevada |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | Georgetown University George Washington University University of Maryland | University of Nevada Las Vegas; University of Nevada Reno; Nevada State College |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Mann Elementary (Washington) Janney Elementary (Washington) Lafayette Elementary (Washington) | The Davidson Academy (Reno) Vanderburg Elementary School (Henderson) Gilbert Magnet School (North Las Vegas) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Deal Middle School (Washington) Hardy Middle School (Washington) McKinley Middle School (Washington) | Bob Miller Middle School (Henderson) Hyde Park Middle School (Las Vegas) Pinecrest Academy (Inspirada) |
Top 3 High School Schools | Woodrow Wilson High School (Washington) School Without Walls High School (Washington) Benjamin Banneker Academic High School (Washington) | The Davidson Academy (Reno) Advanced Technologies Academy (Las Vegas) West Career & Technical Academy (Las Vegas) |
Top 3 private high schools | Sidwell Friends School (Washington) Georgetown Preparatory School (North Bethesda) The Potomac School (McLean) | The Meadows School (Las Vegas) Bishop Gorman High School (Las Vegas) Sage Ridge School (Reno) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Georgetown Day School (Washington) National Cathedral School (Washington) St. Albans School (Washington) | Adelson Educational Campus (Las Vegas) The Alexander Dawson School (Las Vegas) Lake Mead Christian Academy (Henderson) |
Top 3 School Districts | District of Columbia Public Schools (Washington) | Clark County School District (Las Vegas) Washoe County School District (Reno) Elko County School District (Elko) |
How Much Do DC to Nevada Movers Cost?
Moving 2,463 miles from DC to Nevada will typically cost between $4,000 and $9,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $4,000 - $9,500
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-14 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Anytime Anywhere Piano & Moving Co.
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,599 | 300 ft3 | $8.66 |
1 Bedroom | $3,876 | 450 ft3 | $8.61 |
2 Bedrooms | $6,422 | 750 ft3 | $8.56 |
3 Bedrooms | $9,364 | 1100 ft3 | $8.51 |
4 Bedrooms | $13,540 | 1600 ft3 | $8.46 |
5+ Bedrooms | $15,143 | 1800 ft3 | $8.41 |
Top DC to Nevada Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best DC to Nevada movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

Anytime Anywhere Piano & Moving Co.
Best moving company overall for DC to Nevada