16 Dec 10 Awesome Things About Living in Las Vegas
Las Vegas is known for its DJ-hosted nightclubs, opulent casinos, and – yeah, its seedier reputation. And while Sin City might not be top of mind when it comes to the “Best Places to Live,” making our home here is one of the best decisions my husband and I have ever made! Here are the Top 10 reasons I love living in Las Vegas.
Drew and I moved three times in four years and we were getting the itch again. Before we moved to Las Vegas, we were living in a townhome in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia – a cute neighborhood outside Washington, DC.
The winters were long, dark, wet, and just all around depressing. Then there were the summers, which were gorgeous…but filled with humidity and bugs. To top it off, the home prices meant that we were resigned to renting and shared a tiny yard with our neighbors.
While we absolutely loved living there, it was expensive and traffic was horrible. We were both working from home and could live just about anywhere, so we decided to move.
When we thought about where to call home, we only considered states that had low or no state income taxes. And, because I’d lived in the South my whole life, states that offered a change of scenery and a new accent got extra points. Also, seeing as we travel a few months – if not half – of the year, a city with a good airport was a must.
With those criteria in mind, we narrowed down our list of possible new cities and chose Las Vegas!
Our friends and family were immediately skeptical.
“Do people actually live in Las Vegas?”
“Do they all work in the casinos?”
“Is there anywhere to live in Las Vegas beyond the Strip?”
(The answers to those questions are “yes, millions” and “nope” and “for sure”.)
With our minds made up, we packed up our lives in DC and put a good chunk of change towards a down payment on a house in Las Vegas. Now that’s commitment!
Adjusting to living in Las Vegas was harder than I imagined. In DC, there was no lack of cultural stimulation so that change took a little bit of time to get used to. We were also used to walking out of the door and having access to cool local restaurants and coffee shops, dog parks, and public transit. Our house in Las Vegas is in the suburbs (Summerlin to be exact) and it’s gorgeous and safe and wonderful – but we do miss that experience of walking out of our door and just seeing what happens.
It took a few months, but after the initial shock wore off and Drew and I settled in. Now we don’t ever want to leave Las Vegas!
Learn to say “Nevada” correctly. It’s ne-VA-duh (long “a”), not ne-VAH-duh. Listen how to pronounce Nevada like a local here.
What’s so great about living in Las Vegas?
1. The weather in Las Vegas is fantastic
Yep – you read that right! Las Vegas gets an average of 300+ sunny days a year; sure, the summers are brutal, but they typically only last about six weeks. After that, Mother Nature really pays us back by gifting us with 46 weeks of beautiful blue skies and somewhat mild temperatures. How’s that winter in Chicago looking now? Also, after being raised in the South, I can tell you that the desert’s lack of humidity is something dreams are made of. No sweating drinks and no frizzing hair, and standing in the shade really makes a difference.
Residents have learned a few tricks to make the heat more tolerable:
• Get up early or go after dark to run errands or walk your pups.
• If you have leather seats, bring a towel or blanket to sit on.
• Have a sun shade for your vehicle’s windshield. Also, we will throw punches for a parking spot in the shade.
• Always, always carry water with you – even in the winter. The parched, arid climate is no joke.
Also, for you season lovers, contrary to popular belief, Las Vegas does have seasons – and we do get beautiful autumn-colored leaves (they just pop up around the beginning of December). You absolutely will need your winter clothes if you move here.
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I’m Sarah – a southern gal who found her way to the Las Vegas desert! Welcome to my travels with my husband, life with our two dogs, and all the things in between.
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Spent yesterday afternoon with @NevadaLtGov in Laughlin at the @laughlin_bullhead_airshow 🛩️ We saw amazing historic, military, and civilian aircraft and automobiles, but my highlight was meeting a true hero, a 101-year-old WW2 and Korean War veteran 🇺🇸 Forever grateful for his service and sacrifice.
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#laughlinnv #getalittleoutthere #nevada #travelnevada #visitnevada #roadtripusa #heroesamongus #patriot #americanmade #americanhero
Visited @svshilohranch in Sandy Valley yesterday and left truly inspired by their dedication to supporting veterans and protecting Nevada`s wild mustangs. Incredible to see the positive impact they`re making! 🐎🇺🇸
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#getalittleoutthere #travelnevada #sandyvalleynv #nevadawilderness #roadtripnevada #roadtripusa #wildmustang #nevadamustang #supportveterans
Drew and I ✅ off a big bucket list item! We hiked 85 miles to Everest Base Camp in Nepal. 🏔️ 🥾
We hiked around 6 hours each day walking mixed terrain of rocks, boulders, ice slopes, and glaciers. Our trek also included Chola Pass which, at around 18,000 feet, is no easy feat! 😛
We`re grateful to have had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the majesty of the Himalayas.
#EverestBaseCamp #CholaPass #himalayanadventure #everestbasecamptrek #trekkinglovers #nepaltravel #nepal🇳🇵
Tweet-hearts 💕🥰💕🥰
Got to pet a cockatoo named Woody, two ferrets, a dwarf hamster, a Guinea pig, and the cutest pup named Jasper at a pet adoption event!
Shelters across the country are busting at the seams with beautiful, loving animals ready for a forever home. If you`re looking for a pet, please check the local shelters to find your perfect new family member!
#adoptdontshop #petloversofinstagram #vegasdogmom #nevadavotersforanimals #igpetlovers #vegasdog #cockatoosofinstagram #cockatoolove #cockatoolover @nevada.spca @govegasdog @heavencanwaitlv @snvbeaglerescue
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2. Las Vegas has terrific access to public lands and national parks
Las Vegas is truly an outdoor lover’s paradise! Whether you’re into climbing, skiing, hiking, or water sports, you can find access to it all within a short drive from Las Vegas. The state is more than 80% owned by either the federal or state government, so there is always somewhere you can escape the bright lights of Las Vegas. In Sin City, Red Rock National Conservation Area might be the first thing that pops into your mind, but Mt. Charleston, Valley of Fire, Lake Mead, and Death Valley are all within 2-3 hours of the city limits. Go out a little further and you’ll hit Grand Canyon, Bryce, Arches, and Zion National Parks!
3. Las Vegas truly is a 24/7 city
Need to get your oil changed at 3am? In Las Vegas, you can do that! Thanks to the entertainment industry, many residents work off-hours in Las Vegas, which means many grocery stores, restaurants, and services are open 24-hours. In addition, unlike my home state of Alabama, you can buy beer, wine, and liquor any day of the week…at any hour of the day. Talk about freedom!
4. Rush hour traffic isn’t bad
With people working all hours of the day and night, our 24/7 city doesn’t have your typical “rush hour” commute. And whatever commuter traffic we do have pales in comparison to most similarly sized cities.
5. No mosquitos or ticks
Enough. Said.
6. Easily accessible and navigable airport
As frequent travelers, we knew we needed to live somewhere with a decent airport hub. Las Vegas is built with tourists in mind — so you know the city’s airport is going to be good! McCarran’s central location makes it easy to get to and out of and there are cheap flights from the city all the time.
Bonus perk of living in Las Vegas: People are always flying into and out of the city for conferences or quick weekend trips. For better or for worse, you’ll have many opportunities to see some of those old friends from college.
7. Las Vegas has a relatively low-cost of living
Compared to our closest neighbor (Los Angeles) living in Las Vegas is a steal! In fact, of other cities its size, Sin City is comparatively cheap. The median home price is $316,000 (Los Angeles is $715,000) and you can get a condo for around $186,000. Also, we’re talking about a proper sized house with a good amount of square footage, not some apartment-sized house like other places.
Las Vegas is also growing super-fast which hopefully (fingers crossed) means that your investment is good. Beyond home prices, there is zero state income tax in Nevada and property taxes are low as well. (Thanks, gamblers!)
8. Professional sports
For many years Las Vegas wasn’t allowed to have professional sports. There was the gambling issue (people thought players would throw games) for one, but also the transient nature of the city meant that there wasn’t a real community feel either. Fast forward to 2017 and Las Vegas got the National Hockey League’s (NHL) first expansion team since 2000. Everyone said that hockey would never work in the desert, but the city was so hungry to have something to build a community around that the Vegas Golden Knights have broken all expansion records. It’s been wonderful to be a part of this time in Las Vegas’ history. Now the city has the Vegas Raiders (previously the Oakland Raiders – NFL) as well as the Vegas Lights FC (USL), the Vegas Aces (WNBA), and the Aviators (MiLB).
9. World-class dining and entertainment
If you’ve been to Las Vegas, you know that the Strip is full of world-class celebrity chef restaurants. But restaurants off the Strip are equally as inventive and delicious – without the hefty price tag. Las Vegas has a sizeable Hawaiian population – the city is considered the “9th Island” – which brings absolutely delicious island cuisine (like poke) to the area. And Vegas’ Chinatown continues to grow with amazing options from Korean BBQ to dim sum and ramen, to tasty and totally ‘Grammable Japanese desserts – and everything in between! Top that all off with amazing shows and residencies and you’ll find that there’s no excuse to have a boring weekend.
10. The people
Residents of Las Vegas come from everywhere and, as you can imagine, we’re an eclectic bunch of people. And, you’ll find that meeting someone who was born here and still lives here is pretty rare. You won’t necessarily find the “oh we’ve all been friends since high school so we don’t need any new friends” situation here. However, Vegas is still a more transient town so you might have to do some work to make friends. We love that people stay out of your business and are open-minded and diverse.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Las Vegas a Good Place to live?
Absolutely! Drew and I love it here. Check out all the reasons why we love living in Las Vegas.
Can you live in a las vegas hotel?
There are condos available on the Strip to purchase or rent. Since most locals rarely visit the Strip unless friends are in town or they work there, it’s probably not the most convenient place to live. In my opinion, there are a lot of hassles with very few benefits.
Also, you should know that the Strip and “downtown” are different places. The Strip is an unincorporated area in Paradise, Nevada. Downtown is where Fremont Street is as well as the Arts District and is an up-and-coming area with a super cool indie vibe.
Is Las Vegas a good place to live for families?
100% yes! There are communities and neighborhoods throughout Las Vegas that make raising a family and living here ideal. Summerlin, Centennial Hills, and Henderson are popular choices for those looking for quiet, family-friendly, and safe spots to live.
Is it expensive to live in las vegas?
For its size, Las Vegas isn’t an expensive city to live in. The average home costs around $270,000 and you can rent for around $800-900/month for a one-bedroom apartment. Also, thanks to tourism, Nevada has the 3rd lowest state and local tax rates in the U.S. We also have low property and state sales tax rates.
If you’re moving from a city where you didn’t need a car, you’ll need to factor in a car purchase as well. Also, when we moved to Las Vegas, I was shocked to find out how expensive car insurance is here. I asked our agent why it was almost three times what we were paying in D.C. and was told that it was because of the amount of luxury, high-end cars on the road, as well as theft.
What else should I know about living in Las Vegas?
Learn the tricks to deal with the heat, invest in moisturizers and eye drops, and learn to pronounce the state’s name correctly.
It’s ne-VA-duh (long “a”), not ne-VAH-duh. Listen how to pronounce Nevada like a local here.
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