Washoe County The Pricier Of Nevada's Two Largest Counties

RENO, NV - The population of Nevada is largely comprised of people living in one of two counties - Washoe and Clark. Washoe is the state's northernmost populated county, and Clark is the most populated in the entire state. While the population of Clark County is nearly five times that of Washoe County, both counties contribute to the pulse of the Silver State. So how does the cost of living compare in the two?

Northerners might not like to hear it, but a family of four could save a noticeable amount of money each year by living in the desert.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, the cost of living for a family of four in Washoe County is $4,000 more annually than it is in Clark County. To live comfortably a family of four in Washoe County would need a household income of $81,134, compared to $77,068 in Clark County.

Monthly, the cost of living in Washoe County is $339 more than Clark County. A family of four's monthly income would need to be $6,761 to cover expenses in Washoe County, and $6,422 in Clark County.

Washoe County's population, according to recent census data, is 460,587. Though the disparity in population between Clark County and Washoe County is large, so is the disparity between Washoe and the state's third largest county, the capital of Carson City, which is home to 54,745 people.

The cost of living in Nevada's two most populous counties is similar when it comes to housing, food, transportation, and child care. The savings for Southern Nevadans is seen in healthcare costs and taxes. On average, a family of four in Clark County will pay $190 less for healthcare each month than a family of four in Washoe County. That adds up to a yearly savings of $2,331 each year. On taxes, that family of four pays $66 less each month in Clark County than in Washoe County, equaling nearly $800 per year.

Here's how those basic costs break down by each county, both monthly and annually:

• Cost of housing
  • Clark County: $973 monthly/$11,676 annually
  • Washoe County: $979 monthly/ $11,754 annually
• Cost of food
  • Clark County: $777 monthly/$9,320 annually
  • Washoe County: $789 monthly/$9,471 annually
• Cost of transportation
  • Clark County: $1,110 monthly/$13,321 annually
  • Washoe County: $1,156 monthly/$13,873 annually
• Cost of child care
  • Clark County: $1,342 monthly/$16,106 annually
  • Washoe County: $1348 monthly/$16,175 annually
• Cost of healthcare
  • Clark County: $855 monthly/$10,257 annually
  • Washoe County: $1,045 monthly/$12,588 annually
• Taxes
  • Clark County: $660 monthly/$7,918 annually
  • Washoe County: $726 monthly/$8,710 annually
• Other necessary expenses
  • Clark County: $706 monthly/$8,470 annually
  • Washoe County: $714/$8,563 annually

Image via Steven Frame/Shutterstock