Advantages & Disadvantages of Retiring in Las Vegas

You think about retiring in Las Vegas but want to get more information about senior life, public infrastructure, safety, living costs, housing situation, entertainment and much more before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you the pros and cons of retiring in Las Vegas in the following chapters.

Table of Contents

Retire in Las Vegas – Overview

Living CostsLiving costs in Las Vegas are relatively high compared to national average, even though they are lower than in many other major metropolitan areas like NYC or L.A.
HousingIt is pretty hard to find a decent place to stay for many retirees in Las Vegas since housing shortage is a big problem and rents have skyrocketed over the past decade.
ClimateLas Vegas has a desert climate with hot and dry summers and moderately cold winters.
CrimeLas Vegas is not the safest city and crime rates are significantly above national average.
Opportunities to SocializePensioners in Las Vegas can socialize in senior centers, bars, bookstores and many other interesting locations.
EntertainmentSince Las Vegas is a vibrant city and has many exciting things to offer, young people as well as retirees will find more than enough things regarding how to spend their leisure.
Public TransportPublic transport is pretty poor in the Las Vegas region.
Walkability & BicyclingLas Vegas is not the most bicycle-friendly city and distances are not as short as in many other cities so people who retire in Las Vegas may need a car to get around in an efficient manner.
Medical InfrastructureWhile Las Vegas has decent doctors and hospitals, it is still hard to find world-class medical treatment in this region.
Supply of Material GoodsThanks to decent public infrastructure, you will also find everything you need as a retiree in Las Vegas from a materialistic point of view.
advantages and disadvantages of retiring in las vegas

Reasons to Retire in Las Vegas

  1. Retirees in Las Vegas can enjoy great summers
  2. Real seasons may be attractive to many pensioners in Vegas
  3. Decent supply of material goods in Las Vegas
  4. You will find most things you need close to your home
  5. Decent medical infrastructure in Las Vegas
  6. You can meet many tourists in Las Vegas
  7. Decent senior centers in Las Vegas
  8. Easy to socialize for retirees in Las Vegas
  9. Many great bars in Las Vegas
  10. You can try delicious foods in Las Vegas
  11. Las Vegas will be an important place to retire for quite a long time
  12. People in Las Vegas have decent internet connection
  13. Las Vegas has a big airport
  14. Retiring in Las Vegas can be great for gamblers
  15. You can retire where other people spend their vacation
  16. You can have action 24/7
  17. Las Vegas is a pretty tolerant place
  18. Many people will envy you for retiring in Las Vegas

Retirees in Las Vegas can enjoy great summers

One advantage of retiring in Las Vegas is that you can enjoy really great summers with many hours of sun and this gives you the incentive to spend lots of time outdoors which can be great for you as a retiree since you can get lots of fresh air and can also stay fit in the long run.

Real seasons may be attractive to many pensioners in Vegas

Since you will not only have warm summers but also relatively cold winters, you can go swimming in summer and skiing in winter and this can be great since you will have many different things to do while retirees in Austin or other places where it is relatively warm all year long will not have this luxury.

Decent supply of material goods in Las Vegas

You also don’t have to worry about running out of material goods in the Vegas region since public infrastructure is pretty decent and supply chains work property so you will find everything you need to live a comfortable and convenient life in Las Vegas as a retiree.

You will find most things you need close to your home

Not only will you have good overall supply of material goods, but you will also have many things you need close to your home and this can be great for you as a pensioner in Vegas since you will find most things you need in stores just a few minutes away and don’t have to walk long distances to get what you urgently need for daily life.

Decent medical infrastructure in Las Vegas

Another upside to retiring in Las Vegas is that you will also find many solid doctors and hospitals in this region and as long as you have enough money, you can get solid medical treatment and may be able to overcome your health conditions rather quickly.

You can meet many tourists in Las Vegas

Retiring in Vegas can also be pretty interesting since you will be able to meet many tourists and by talking to those tourists, you can learn a lot about different cultures and chances are that you will also become a more open and tolerant person in the long run since you will just get many different perspectives on life in general.

Decent senior centers in Las Vegas

There are also decent senior centers in Las Vegas where you can meet up with other retirees and can share useful insights on how to make senior life in Las Vegas better and you can also support each other in various parts of life so everyone can benefit from those efforts.

Easy to socialize for retirees in Las Vegas

Since there are so many things to do in the Vegas region and you will have many senior centers and other locations where you can meet up with people of your age, you will also have a rather easy time socializing with people and can make many new friends within a rather short period of time.

Many great bars in Las Vegas

Nightlife in Las Vegas is great and you will also find many interesting bars where you can meet people with many different backgrounds and can discuss things that are going on in the world right now so you can get a different perspective on reality and may also be able to adust important decisions you are about to make in the future.

You can try delicious foods in Las Vegas

You will also find many great restaurants in the Las Vegas region and as long as you have the money, you can try many delicious foods from different parts of the world and this can make senior life in Vegas much better since eating out will be one of your main priorities once you get older and may no longer be fit enough to engage in many other activities.

Las Vegas will be an important place to retire for quite a long time

Since Las Vegas is the biggest city in Nevada and is also an important economic center, Vegas will be an important place to work, live and retire for many decades and you don’t have to worry that too many people might leave this region anytime soon.

People in Las Vegas have decent internet connection

Another benefit of retiring in Vegas is that you will also have a pretty solid internet connection and this can be great for you as a retiree since you can make video calls with your loved ones and also get the latest news in real-time so you will always know what’s going on in the world and can also use our modern technologies to make your senior life in Vegas just much better and convenient.

Las Vegas has a big airport

Since Las Vegas has a big international airport, it is also well-connected to other states in the US and even the world and your loved ones in different states will therefore have a rather easy time visiting you in this place and since Las Vegas is a pretty popular city, chances are that you will have guests on a regular basis.

Retiring in Las Vegas can be great for gamblers

It can also make sense to retire in Las Vegas in case you are a professional poker player or do other sorts of gambling that may turn out to be profitable in the long run since you may be able to make some additional money on the side on the Las Vegas Strip.

You can retire where other people spend their vacation

Las Vegas is also a pretty interesting city and there are many great things to do.

In fact, while many people just spend their vacation in Vegas, you can retire where many people are willing to spend lots of money during holidays.

You can have action 24/7

If you are still fit and don’t want to live in a quiet environment but want to have action 24/7, you will not find many other cities that would be better than Las Vegas since you will have countless opportunities when it comes to partying until the early morning and having action non-stop.

Las Vegas is a pretty tolerant place

You should also know that Las Vegas is a pretty tolerant city and you will be welcome in this place no matter where you come from so you don’t have to worry about your background at all and can just have a great time with other like-minded people.

Many people will envy you for retiring in Las Vegas

Since Las Vegas is a pretty popular city, many people will also envy and secretly admire you for your plans of retiring in Las Vegas and you may therefore have a pretty high social standing among your peers.

As you can see, there are many reasons for retiring in Las Vegas.

Yet, there are also many drawbacks of retiring in Vegas that I want to address in the following so you will get a more realistic picture of reality and can better decide whether you still want to retire in Las Vegas or rather want to spend your retirement in a different location instead.

Disadvantages of Retiring in Las Vegas

  1. High living costs are a problem for many retirees in Las Vegas
  2. Rents are barely affordable for many pensioners in Las Vegas
  3. Hard to find a decent place to stay within a reasonable timeframe
  4. Housing shortage may become even worse in the future
  5. High overall financial pressure for people retiring in Las Vegas
  6. Pretty poor air quality in Las Vegas
  7. Las Vegas has to deal with many social problems
  8. Las Vegas may be too hot for many retirees
  9. Water scarcity may become a serious problem
  10. Natural disasters may destroy your home in Las Vegas
  11. Public transport in Las Vegas is not great
  12. Las Vegas is not a bicycle-friendly city
  13. Retirees in Las Vegas may need a car to get around
  14. Landscape around Las Vegas is not as beautiful as in other places
  15. Las Vegas may be too crowded and noisy for many retirees

High living costs are a problem for many retirees in Las Vegas

One problem with retiring in Las Vegas is that living costs are pretty high compared to national average and you will therefore need a pretty good pension as a retiree in Vegas to afford a decent lifestyle in this place.

Rents are barely affordable for many pensioners in Las Vegas

Not only living costs are pretty high, but also rents have skyrocketed over the past decades and many pensioners in Las Vegas become increasingly desperate since they no longer know how to pay rent in a reliable manner and always have to fear getting evicted from their property.

Hard to find a decent place to stay within a reasonable timeframe

Since competition in the housing market is pretty fierce, it may also take you quite a long time to find a decent place to stay as a retiree in Las Vegas and you may have to search for many months in this regard while people retiring in El Paso or other less popular places may have an easier time in this regard.

Housing shortage may become even worse in the future

Since Las Vegas becomes increasingly popular by many people from all over the US, many people consider retiring in Vegas and the more people come to Vegas, the more people need a home and housing shortage may therefore become even worse in the future.

High overall financial pressure for people retiring in Las Vegas

Since living and housing costs are pretty high, many retirees in Vegas also complain about significant financial pressure and always have to worry about money which may translate into serious mental health problems in the long run.

Pretty poor air quality in Las Vegas

Another downside to retiring in Las Vegas is that air quality is pretty poor in this region and if you already suffer from pulmonary problems, chances are that those problems may become even worse if you plan to retire in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas has to deal with many social problems

Since many people in Vegas live below the poverty line, there are also many social problems the city has to deal with and chances are that those social problems may even get worse which may lower overall quality of life significantly in the long run.

Las Vegas may be too hot for many retirees

You should also know that Las Vegas is a pretty hot place and while some people like the heat, others can’t stand it and if you belong to the second group of people, your body may just no longer work property during hot summers and you may therefore faint sooner or later and will just not have a great time in Vegas.

Water scarcity may become a serious problem

Another disadvantage of retiring in Las Vegas is that due to the hot and dry weather, water scarcity may become a serious problem sooner or later and in case the city runs out of drinking water, overall quality of life would drop significantly and many people would leave this region.

Natural disasters may destroy your home in Las Vegas

Wildfires and other natural disasters may also damage or even destroy your home in Las Vegas, especially in the suburbs where your risk of having to deal with those issues will be pretty high and you should therefore get proper insurance to be covered in case of emergency.

Public transport in Las Vegas is not great

You should also know that public transport is not great in the Las Vegas region and it is therefore pretty hard to get around by bus or other means of public transport and you may therefore have to look out for proper alternatives.

Las Vegas is not a bicycle-friendly city

Since Las Vegas is not the most bicycle-friendly place, you will also have a rather hard time getting around by bike and this may greatly lower your life as a retiree in Vegas since you will not stay as fit as people retiring in San Francisco or other places where you can get around by bicycle in a more efficient manner.

Retirees in Las Vegas may need a car to get around

Since public transport is pretty poor and Vegas is not the most bicycle-friendly city, you may urgently need a car to get around as a pensioner in Vegas in a proper manner and this is bad news since the older you get, the more likely it will be that you will no longer be able to drive a car in a safe manner and you may therefore want to have proper alternatives.

Landscape around Las Vegas is not as beautiful as in other places

Since Las Vegas is located in the middle of the desert, landscape is not really beautiful and while retirees in San José or other nice places can spend lots of time in beautiful nature, you will be rather confined as a retiree in Vegas in this regard.

Las Vegas may be too crowded and noisy for many retirees

While many people like the glamor and the feeling of big city life in Las Vegas, it may just not be for you and if you want to retire in a quieter place, you may be far better off moving to Santa Ana or other calmer cities.

Top 10 Retiring in Las Vegas Pros & Cons – Summary List

Retire in Las Vegas ProsRetire in Las Vegas Cons
Pensioners in Las Vegas can enjoy sunny summersHigh living costs are a problem for many retirees in Vegas
Real seasons may make senior life in Vegas interestingRents are barely affordable for many pensioners in Las Vegas
Decent supply of material goods in VegasHard to find a decent place to stay for many retirees
Solid medical infrastructure in Las VegasLas Vegas may be too hot for many retirees
Decent senior centers in Las VegasWater scarcity may become a serious problem
Many entertainment options for retirees in Las VegasLas Vegas is not surrounded by beautiful nature
Good bars and restaurants in VegasHigh financial pressure for people retiring in Vegas
Las Vegas is well-connected to the worldPretty poor air quality in Las Vegas
People in Las Vegas have decent internet connectionSocial problems are about to get worse
You retire where other people spend their vacationLas Vegas is not located at the coast

Is Las Vegas A Good Place To Retire?

While retiring in Las Vegas can make sense since you will have many great bars, restaurants and also lots of entertainment, you should still know that Vegas is a pretty hot place, living and housing costs are high and many retirees in Las Vegas become increasingly desperate since they no longer know how to pay their bills.

Alternative Cities To Retire

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

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Denver

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Portland

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Boston

Sources

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

Own research.

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 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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