Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Las Vegas

You want to move to Las Vegas but are still not sure whether this is the right decision for you or not?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you all the pros and cons of living in Las Vegas in the following article so that you can better decide whether you still want to move to Las Vegas or rather want to live in a different region instead.

Table of Contents

Living in Las Vegas – Overview

ClimateLas Vegas has pretty hot and dry summers and moderately cool winters, even though lots of snow is rather rare in this region.
HousingHousing shortage is not a big problem in Las Vegas yet, property prices and rents are lower compared to many other major cities.
IncomeMedian household income in Las Vegas is below national average.
CrimeCrime rates in Las Vegas are above national average.
EducationSolid schools and colleges even though you will not find world-class education in Las Vegas.
Job MarketHigh unemployment rate in Las Vegas makes it hard for the average person to find a decent job.
CultureLas Vegas is a multicultural city and attracts people from all over the world.
Leisure ActivitiesFishing, hunting and swimming are just some of the things you can do near Las Vegas.
LandscapeLas Vegas is surrounded by desert-like landscape, even though you will find big lakes like Lake Mead pretty close to the city.
InfrastructureDecent public infrastructure and good doctors and hospitals in Las Vegas.
Level of ToleranceLas Vegas is one of the most tolerant cities in Nevada.
NightlifeGreat nightlife in Las Vegas with numerous interesting bars to choose from.
Total Population669,602 inhabitants.
advantages and disadvantages of living in las vegas

Advantages of Living in Las Vegas

  1. Las Vegas is an exciting city
  2. You will find more than enough things to do in your leisure
  3. Nightlife in Las Vegas is great
  4. Decent sports events to watch in Las Vegas
  5. Las Vegas attracts many interesting people
  6. You can meet many tourists from all over the world
  7. You can experience many different cultures in Las Vegas
  8. People in Las Vegas are pretty friendly
  9. People often help you out
  10. People are welcome from all over the world
  11. Easy to socialize in Las Vegas
  12. Las Vegas is a glamorous city
  13. Las Vegas is well-known all over the US
  14. Many shopping opportunities in Las Vegas
  15. You can enjoy the comfort of living in a big city
  16. You will find most things you need for daily life within walking distance
  17. Many of your friends will visit you in Las Vegas
  18. You can do many interesting things in nature
  19. You can enjoy hot and sunny summers in Las Vegas
  20. Winters are relatively mild
  21. You can spend lots of time outdoors
  22. Property prices are still reasonably low in Las Vegas
  23. You don’t have to spend as much money on rent as in other big cities
  24. Competition in the Las Vegas housing market is not that high
  25. You will find a decent place to live soon
  26. Average person can still afford to buy or rent a decent home in Las Vegas
  27. Financial pressure is not as high as in other major cities
  28. Las Vegas is a bike-friendly city
  29. Las Vegas may be an interesting place for property investors
  30. You can try delicious foods in Las Vegas
  31. You can meet many artists in Las Vegas
  32. You can visit many museums in Las Vegas
  33. Las Vegas is a great city for professional gamblers
  34. Traffic is not a big problem in Las Vegas
  35. Easy to find a parking lot in Las Vegas
  36. Las Vegas is not the most crowded city
  37. Living costs in Las Vegas are lower than in many other major cities
  38. Las Vegas has decent air quality
  39. Population in Las Vegas is growing significantly
  40. Good future outlook for Las Vegas
  41. Las Vegas offers decent education
  42. You can meet many celebrities in Las Vegas
  43. Las Vegas has an international airport

Las Vegas is an exciting city

One advantage of moving to Las Vegas is that it is a pretty exciting city where you can do many great things and will never run out of ideas regarding how to spend your leisure.

In fact, there is always something going on 24/7 and you will just get all the entertainment you need.

You will find more than enough things to do in your leisure

In general, you will find so many things to do that you will never have enough time to try all those things during your leisure and chances are that you will never get bored living in Las Vegas since there are always interesting things emerging in this vibrant city.

Nightlife in Las Vegas is great

Las Vegas also has pretty great nightlife and you will have numerous interesting and exciting bars to choose from, especially at the Las Vegas strip where you will find so many different locations where you can party until the early morning.

Decent sports events to watch in Las Vegas

Another reason to move to Las Vegas is that you can watch many interesting sports events.

Not only can you watch hockey games of the Las Vegas Golden Knights, but there are various other sports teams whom you can follow and become a real fan of and chances are that you will never run out of options in this regard.

Las Vegas attracts many interesting people

Since there is so much entertainment, Las Vegas also attracts many interesting people living pretty exotic lifestyles and while this may seem dodgy to you at first, you will soon realize that many of those people are still pretty friendly and you can just learn a lot about different attitudes towards life and will see the world from a different perspective in the long run.

You can meet many tourists from all over the world

Las Vegas also attracts many tourists from all over the world and it is therefore easy for you to make many new friends and can also visit those people in their home towns so that you already have contact with locals once you visit those regions and can get many insider tips during your own travels.

You can experience many different cultures in Las Vegas

Since you can meet people from all over the world, you can also experience many different cultures in Las Vegas and this can be great since you can see the world from a different perspective and become more open and tolerant in the long run.

People in Las Vegas are pretty friendly

Most people in Las Vegas are also pretty friendly and you will also feel welcome no matter where you come from as long as you are a friendly and open person yourself and also know how to behave and to adapt to local customs at least a little bit.

People often help you out

Not only are people in Las Vegas pretty friendly, but many of them are also willing to help you out and if you make really good friends in Vegas, chances are that those people will support you during difficult periods of your life so that you can overcome those situations and get enough emotional support to carry on.

People are welcome from all over the world

Another upside to moving to Las Vegas is that people from all over the world are welcome in this exciting city and your background therefore doesn’t matter as long as you are willing to become a valuable member of society and are also a helpful and open person so that you can make many new friends soon and people respect you in general.

Easy to socialize in Las Vegas

Since people in Las Vegas are tolerant and also open to new things, it will be pretty easy to socialize for you once you move to Las Vegas and you therefore don’t have to worry about getting socially isolated since you can talk to new people on various occasions of daily life and some of those people will become really good friends in the long run.

Las Vegas is a glamorous city

Moving to Las Vegas can also make sense for you in case you want to live in a pretty glamorous city and want to have action 24/7.

There is always something to do in Vegas and you will also feel like living at the heart of the universe, at least if you live close to the strip where there is always something new to experience.

Las Vegas is well-known all over the US

Las Vegas is also known all over the US and even the world.

Hence, when people ask you where you come from, you can just tell them that you are from Vegas and you will not have to explain even further as would be the case if you lived in smaller and less popular towns and this can save you lots of time and nerves in the long run.

Many shopping opportunities in Las Vegas

Another benefit of moving to Las Vegas is that you will also find more than enough shopping opportunities.

In fact, there is a mix of fancy boutiques and big outlets where you will find everything you could ever wish for as long as you have the money to afford all those nice things.

You can enjoy the comfort of living in a big city

Since Las Vegas is a big city, you will also find all the things you are used to from other big cities and will not have to deal with limited supply of material goods as would often be the case if you moved to a smaller town.

You will find most things you need for daily life within walking distance

Since public infrastructure is decent in Las Vegas, you will also find most things for daily life within walking distance and can get all you need in a pretty efficient manner so that you can save lots of time in this regard in the long run.

Many of your friends will visit you in Las Vegas

Another upside to living in Las Vegas is that many of your friends from other states will visit you in this city since Las Vegas is pretty exciting and interesting and therefore a great place for tourists who just want to have a good time.

In turn, you will have more than enough people visiting you and chances are that you will never feel lonely due to that.

You can do many interesting things in nature

Since Las Vegas is close to Lake Mead, you can go fishing, hunting, hiking, camping and do many other interesting things in nature so that you can reload your batteries and can spend your weekends outdoors with your family.

You can enjoy hot and sunny summers in Las Vegas

Las Vegas has hot and dry summers and if you love the heat and the sun, Las Vegas can be a great place to move to since you will be able to enjoy much more sun compared to people living in Boston who have to deal with rain much more often.

Winters are relatively mild

Not only summers are great, but also winters are relatively mild in Vegas and this makes Las Vegas a great place for people who don’t want to deal with cold weather and rather want to live in a region where they can hang out outdoors all year long without having to wear a heavy jacket.

You can spend lots of time outdoors

In general, people in Vegas can spend much more time outdoors compared to people living in Chicago or other regions where winters are much colder and where people experience much more rain in general.

Property prices are still reasonably low in Las Vegas

Another advantage of living in Las Vegas is that property prices are still fairly low compared to other big cities in the US and while people moving to Oakland or other more expensive regions often have to pay enormous amounts of money for properties and have to pay back huge sums on their mortgage, you will have a much more relaxed time in Las Vegas in this regard.

You don’t have to spend as much money on rent as in other big cities

Not only property prices are still reasonably low, but also rents are still affordable for many people and you therefore don’t have to spend a high fraction of your disposable income on housing yet.

Competition in the Las Vegas housing market is not that high

Since demand for housing is not as big as in other major cities, the Las Vegas housing market is still rather relaxed and you will not have to compete with as many people for rental apartments or houses and will not have to spend that much time and money in this regard.

You will find a decent place to live soon

Since competition in the Las Vegas housing market is not as high as in New York City or in other major cities, chances are that you will also find a decent place to stay pretty quickly and don’t have to search for many weeks or even months as would often be the case in other regions where housing shortage is already a serious problem.

Average person can still afford to buy or rent a decent home in Las Vegas

While the average person has a hard time finding a nice place to stay for an affordable price in San Francisco or in other more expensive regions, the average person can still afford to rent or buy a decent home in Las Vegas and you can therefore still live the American dream in this region without having to make a six-figure income.

Financial pressure is not as high as in other major cities

Since property prices in Las Vegas are lower compared to other major cities, also overall financial pressure will be lower since you don’t have to make as much money as in other cities to be able to afford the same lifestyle and this gives you lots of room to navigate from a financial standpoint and can also lead to a happier life in general.

Las Vegas is a bike-friendly city

Las Vegas is also considered a bike-friendly city and you can therefore get around by bike for short distances and may not have to rely on your car that much so that you can save lots of money on fuel and can also do good for our environment at the same time.

Las Vegas may be an interesting place for property investors

Since property prices in Las Vegas are fairly low and rental yields are decent, Las Vegas can also be an interesting place for property investors since you can build a solid cash flow pretty soon and will get more return on your investment compared to other cities where rental yields are often far lower.

You can try delicious foods in Las Vegas

Since Las Vegas is a multicultural city, you can also try many delicious foods in Las Vegas and can even try rather exotic foods you might not find in many other cities.

In fact, the selection of different foods is enormously high and there will be something for every taste for sure.

You can meet many artists in Las Vegas

Las Vegas also has a great art scene and you can meet many decent painters, musicians and magicians in this interesting place and can therefore hang out with many like-minded people and spend a great time together.

You can visit many museums in Las Vegas

Las Vegas also has many interesting museums where you can visit many exhibitions and you will never run out of ideas in this regard.

Las Vegas is a great city for professional gamblers

Moving to Las Vegas may also make sense for professional gamblers since they will find many casinos to play poker and other games and some people are actually able to make a living from gambling while many others just lose lots of money and you should therefore make sure that you are a winning player before you attempt such a career to avoid unpleasant surprises later on.

Traffic is not a big problem in Las Vegas

Another benefit of living in Las Vegas is that traffic is not a big problem yet.

While it might be hard to get around at the strip, it will be pretty easy in most other regions and you will therefore not have to deal with traffic jams that much and can get around by car in an efficient manner.

Easy to find a parking lot in Las Vegas

Since traffic is not a serious problem in Las Vegas yet, it is also pretty easy to find a parking lot and you will not have to spend as much time and money in this regard as you would often have to do in Los Angeles or other regions.

Las Vegas is not the most crowded city

While Las Vegas is a big city, it is still not as crowded as many other metropolitan regions and this means that you will have enough space for yourself and if you hang out in public, you will not run into people all the time and will have enough time to be on your own during times you need to think about complex problems and how to solve them without being distracted.

Living costs in Las Vegas are lower than in many other major cities

While living costs in Las Vegas are above national average, they are still far lower than in other major cities like NYC or L.A. and this gives you the opportunity to save lots of money in this regard in the long run and you also don’t have to make really good money to afford a decent lifestyle in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas has decent air quality

Las Vegas also has pretty good air quality for most of the year compared to other major cities and this can be great for your health since you will be less likely to suffer from serious health problems compared to people living in more polluted regions.

Population in Las Vegas is growing significantly

Another indication that Las Vegas can be a great place to live is that population has been growing significantly over the past years and this trend will likely continue in the future since Las Vegas has become increasingly popular by people from all over the US and with more and more people moving to this city, overall city life may become even more diverse and interesting in the long run.

Good future outlook for Las Vegas

Since population in the Las Vegas region is growing and the region becomes increasingly popular, it will likely stay an important region for many decades and you therefore don’t have to worry that too many people might leave this region anytime soon.

Las Vegas offers decent education

While you will not find world-class education in Las Vegas, you will still find many decent schools and colleges where your kids can learn enough to get decent jobs later on and get a good start for their future careers.

You can meet many celebrities in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is also a great place to move to in case you want to meet many celebrities and other famous people and if you hang out in the right bars and clubs, chances are that you will see and may even be able to get in touch with those people pretty soon.

Las Vegas has an international airport

Since Las Vegas has a big international airport, it is also pretty easy to get around and to travel to many foreign countries in an efficient manner without having to deal with layovers that much.

Now that you know all the upsides to moving to Vegas, we also have to talk about the drawbacks of living in Las Vegas so that you can get a more realistic picture of reality and can better decide if Vegas is the right place to live for you or if you rather want to move to a different location instead.

Disadvantages of Living in Las Vegas

  1. Property prices in Las Vegas have already increased significantly
  2. Rents may no longer be affordable for many people in a couple of years
  3. Demand for housing increases due to population growth
  4. Housing shortage may become a big problem soon
  5. You may get overwhelmed pretty easily
  6. Las Vegas may be too hectic for you
  7. You may get annoyed by a high number of tourists
  8. Many people are no longer able to afford to live in the Las Vegas region
  9. Locals may leave the city
  10. Increasing level of inequality in Las Vegas
  11. Social tensions are about to get worse
  12. Homelessness is a serious problem in Las Vegas
  13. You may be tempted to gamble
  14. You may lose it all sooner or later
  15. You may not be able to deal with the heat
  16. Las Vegas is not located at the coast
  17. Las Vegas has above-average crime rates
  18. Unemployment rate is pretty high
  19. Income level is rather low in Las Vegas
  20. Many people need a second job to pay their bills
  21. Hard to build a strong business network in Las Vegas
  22. Significant number of people below the poverty line
  23. Many people in Las Vegas are not able to save enough for retirement
  24. Las Vegas becomes increasingly crowded
  25. Poor tap water quality in Las Vegas
  26. Public transport is rather poor in Las Vegas
  27. You often need a car to get around in Las Vegas
  28. Water scarcity may become a serious problem in Las Vegas
  29. Not that many recreational spaces in Las Vegas

Property prices in Las Vegas have already increased significantly

One downside to living in Las Vegas is that property prices have increased significantly over the past years and although they are still at a pretty low level compared to San José or other major cities, you will still have a hard time making a bargain in the Las Vegas property market right now.

Rents may no longer be affordable for many people in a couple of years

Not only property prices have increased significantly, but also rents have become much more expensive and in case this trend continues, many people may no longer be able to pay rent in Las Vegas and may even get evicted from their property sooner or later.

Demand for housing increases due to population growth

Since population in Vegas is increasing significantly, all those new people also need housing opportunities and this makes it harder for everyone to find a decent place to live within a reasonable amount of time.

Housing shortage may become a big problem soon

While housing shortage is not as big of a problem as in other major cities yet, it may become a serious problem in Las Vegas just a few years from now and many people may no longer be able to find a decent place to stay for a reasonable price.

You may get overwhelmed pretty easily

If you live close to the strip, you may also just get overwhelmed by all the impressions and light pollution and your brain may not be able to relax and unplug from all this stress and you may therefore suffer from mental problems sooner or later.

Las Vegas may be too hectic for you

Another reason not to move to Las Vegas is that the city is also pretty hectic and people are often in a rush since they have to get to important meetings and will not have that much time to have a chat with you.

You may also adapt to this hectic atmosphere pretty soon and may become more hectic and stressed yourself in the long run.

You may get annoyed by a high number of tourists

While you can meet many tourists in Las Vegas, some of those tourists may just be annoying since they just don’t know how to behave and there might be a point when the city will be flooded with just too many tourists and you may just get frustrated with the whole situation in the long run.

Many people are no longer able to afford to live in the Las Vegas region

Another problem with living in Las Vegas is that due to its popularity and the growing property prices, many people are just no longer able to make a decent living in Vegas and become increasingly desperate with the whole situation.

Locals may leave the city

Many locals who don’t own a home but rather lived as tenants for a long time may also no longer be able to afford to rent a decent place in Las Vegas and may have to leave the region which would take away part of the city’s charm and may lower overall quality of life in the long run.

Increasing level of inequality in Las Vegas

Another disadvantage of living in Las Vegas is that the region experiences an increasing level of inequality and if this trend continues, an increasing number of people will become really frustrated and desperate and this may lead to all sorts of social problems in the long run.

Social tensions are about to get worse

Since the gap between the rich and the poor increases, social cohesion in Las Vegas is about to deteriorate and this may lead to a state where people are just no longer friendly and instead of helping each other out, people may become increasingly self-centered and may no longer be willing or even able to do good for others since they have to care for their own lives to survive.

Homelessness is a serious problem in Las Vegas

Due to increasing property prices, many people are just no longer able to afford to pay rent and may get evicted from their properties and may finally even end up homeless in the streets.

You may be tempted to gamble

Since Las Vegas is pretty popular for gambling and its casinos, you may also be tempted to gamble as well and if you don’t have yourself under control, you may lose serious amounts of money and may get into serious financial problems sooner or later.

You may lose it all sooner or later

Some people even take it far enough so that they lose it all in the long run and often end up homeless and with lots of debt and have a hard time getting back on track and if you are a person who might be vulnerable in this regard, you may be better off moving to a city where gambling is not that prevalent so that you are not tempted in this regard that much.

You may not be able to deal with the heat

Another problem with moving to Las Vegas is that it is also a pretty hot place and if you are a person who doesn’t feel comfortable with outside temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, you may be better off moving to Philadelphia or another cooler place instead.

Las Vegas is not located at the coast

You should also know that Philadelphia is not located at the coast and this means that you will not have the luxury of going surfing or swimming during lunch break as many other people who live directly at the coast are often able to experience.

Las Vegas has above-average crime rates

Another downside to moving to Las Vegas is that crime rate is above national average and if you are a careful person, you may just not feel safe and comfortable in Vegas in the long run and may rather want to move to a safe place instead.

Unemployment rate is pretty high

You should also know that the labor market in Las Vegas is not that great and unemployment rates are pretty high.

Consequently, many people just don’t find a good job in the Vegas region and often also have to fear losing their jobs since they might not find another one soon enough to stay out of financial trouble.

Income level is rather low in Las Vegas

Another disadvantage of moving to Vegas is that median income is below national average and this means that people often have a hard time making good money in Las Vegas and many of them struggle to make a decent living in this region.

Many people need a second job to pay their bills

Since many jobs in Vegas don’t pay good money, many people in this region also need a second job to pay their bills and if you don’t hold a fancy degree, you may just be one of those people working all day long without being able to afford any luxury.

Hard to build a strong business network in Las Vegas

Since Las Vegas doesn’t attract many highly-qualified people, you will also have a harder time building a strong business network compared to Silicon Valley or other economically important regions that attract many talented people from all over the world.

Significant number of people below the poverty line

You should also be aware of the fact that many people in Las Vegas live below the poverty line and this may further increase crime rates and social problems in the future and is also just not a nice picture.

Many people in Las Vegas are not able to save enough for retirement

Since most people in Vegas make pretty poor money, many people are also not able to save and invest enough money for retirement and may have to deal with serious old-age poverty once they quit their active careers.

Las Vegas becomes increasingly crowded

Due to enormous population growth, Las Vegas also becomes increasingly crowded and you may just no longer have enough recreational spaces for your own and this may further increase the overall stress level in this city since it will just be harder to relax.

Poor tap water quality in Las Vegas

Tap water quality is also pretty poor in Las Vegas compared to many other cities and this means that you will often have to buy bottled water and will have to spend lots of time and money in this regard in the long run.

Public transport is rather poor in Las Vegas

You should also know that public transport in Las Vegas is pretty poor and you may therefore not be able to get around in an efficient manner by bus or train.

You often need a car to get around in Las Vegas

Since public transport is rather poor, you may also need a car to get around in the Vegas region quite often and this may be bad for our environment and may also cost you lots of money in the long run.

Water scarcity may become a serious problem in Las Vegas

Since Las Vegas is a hot and dry region, the city may also run out of drinking water in the future due to climate change and in case this happens, overall quality of life may drop significantly.

Not that many recreational spaces in Las Vegas

While you will find many nice spots in nature outside the city borders, you will not find that many recreational spaces within the city and this may make it hard for you to find a nice place to relax from your stressful life.

Top 10 Moving To Las Vegas Pros & Cons – Summary List

Living in Las Vegas ProsLiving in Las Vegas Cons
Rents in Las Vegas are still affordableLas Vegas becomes increasingly crowded
Property prices are relatively lowTap water quality is pretty poor
Las Vegas is a bike-friendly cityHard to find world-class education in Vegas
People in Las Vegas are tolerantCrime rates are pretty high
Las Vegas is a multicultural cityMay not be a great place to live for families
You can meet people from all over the worldHomelessness is a big problem in Las Vegas
More than enough entertainment in Las VegasIncreasing level of inequality
You will never get bored in this regionSocial tensions are about to increase as well
You can spend lots of time in natureGambling may become a problem
You can watch many sports eventsLas Vegas is a hectic city

Is Las Vegas A Good Place To Live?

While Las Vegas has reasonably low property prices and rents are still affordable for the average person, unemployment rate is pretty high and many people have a hard time finding a decent job.

Moreover, crime rate is above national average and may continue to increase in the future.

In the end, it is on you to evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of moving to Las Vegas carefully so that you can better decide whether you still want to live in Las Vegas or rather want to move to a different city instead.

Alternative Cities To Live In

If you don’t want to move to Las Vegas anymore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Portland

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Washington D.C.

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Houston

Sources

https://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/lasvegascitynevada

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.

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