A new study of commuting in Lyon County finds the county's balance of jobs and housing is out of whack, as an estimated 7,275 workers leave the county each day for jobs elsewhere.
That's about 48 percent of the workers who live in Fernley, Dayton, Yerington and outlying areas of Lyon County, says the study completed by the University of Nevada, Reno Cooperative Extension.
In fact, the researchers found Lyon County has the second-highest percentage of outbound commuters of any county in the state, trailing only Storey County, where about 80 percent of the workforce makes the daily trek somewhere else.
About 19.5 percent of the Lyon County workforce nearly 3,000 workers holds jobs in Carson City, which is just west of the Dayton and Mound House areas in Lyon County. Another 18.8 percent, more than 2,800 workers, are employed in Washoe County.
And two largely rural neighboring counties also provide jobs for Lyon County residents. About 560 3.7 percent of the county's workforce hold jobs in Douglas County. Another 400 or so work in Churchill County.
"This data suggest that there is a shortage of jobs and economic activity and an overabundance of housing in Lyon County," the researchers said.
That could put local governments in a financial bind as residential developments typically require a high level of services that often are supported by the taxes paid by industrial companies.
High levels of commuting, the researchers noted, also have environmental impacts, reduce the amount of time that workers can
spend on family and community activities and add to workers' expenses.
On the other hand, they acknowledged that Lyon County's quiet semi-rural atmosphere within easy reach of city jobs and amenities is a powerful drawing card for many homebuyers.
The Cooperative Extension Service researchers noted, however, they were surprised to find that a goodly number of people from
outside Lyon County are commuting to jobs in Fernley, Dayton, Yerington and other locations.
Some 2,200 jobs in the county 22 percent of the total are held by people who live elsewhere. Churchill County and Carson
City account for the largest percentages of those incoming workers.
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