Nevada is known all around the world as the home state of Las Vegas, but it has a lot more to offer than just gambling and partying. With easy access to beautiful national parks, a reasonable cost of living, and some of the best communications infrastructure in the United States, the state offers much to attract new inhabitants.
Are you thinking about moving to the Silver State? To help you on your journey, we’ve put together 6 of the best places to live in Nevada:
- Carson City
- Enterprise
- Henderson
- Las Vegas
- Reno
- Sparks
Carson City
Just off the eastern edge of Lake Tahoe sits Nevada’s state capital, Carson City. The city isn’t as large as Las Vegas or Henderson in terms of population, but it has a thriving cultural scene and friendly inhabitants. You can spend your free time exploring the great outdoors. Take part in water sports or hike the Kit Carson Trail. You could also try out one of the city’s newest attractions, the Carson Canyon Railbike.
The city also puts on a free jazz festival every summer, and several local breweries abound. Other cultural destinations around the city include the Nevada State Museum and the Railroad Museum.
Enterprise
South of Vegas and west of Henderson, Enterprise is a bit of an up-and-comer in Nevada. It has a suburban feel to it, but you’ll encounter plenty of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and other activities to do to keep you entertained daily.
Enterprise’s prime location means it’s no hassle to visit Las Vegas for the day. Still, you also get fantastic access to both the Sloan Canyon and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Areas, ideally suited for keen hikers and campers. Thanks to the high quality of life and low cost of living here, Enterprise is growing in popularity among millennials, which will likely cause a surge in youth-friendly amenities and even more things to do.
Henderson
Henderson is about 16 miles to the southeast of Las Vegas and is the second-largest city in the state. It’s easily accessible thanks to its proximity to four major highways, and Forbes once ranked the city as No. 2 in its list of the safest cities in America.
Suppose you’re looking for nearby things to do. In that case, you can reach the Vegas strip in just over 20 minutes by car, or, if you’re more of an outdoorsy type, head to the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area for beautiful desert hiking and camping. You’ll also find a water park, bird-viewing preservation center, and a lion habitat ranch.
Las Vegas
Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas! As the largest city in Nevada famous for its first-class party scene, Sin City is an ideal place for anybody who loves to drink, gamble, and have a good time. You probably think that Las Vegas isn’t exactly the type of place you’d think to call “home,” but there’s a lot more to it than casinos and pool parties.
Las Vegas offers a decent job market, especially if you want to find work in the tourism sector. On the main strip alone, you’ll find more than 30 hotels, plus bars, restaurants, casinos, and entertainment venues to provide ample work opportunities for those who want them. It has some great neighborhoods outside of The Strip, too. Check out our more in-depth moving guide to Las Vegas if you’re still not convinced.
The average rental price of an apartment in Las Vegas is $1,050. The cost of living is not too high considering it’s such a tourist destination, particularly when you compare it with that of other prominent visitor locations.
Las Vegas offers accommodating transportation links to the rest of the state, including easy access to a handful of national parks. The Grand Canyon is across the Arizona border, or you can stay closer to home and visit Death Valley or Lake Mead. The desert climate of Vegas also means you’ll have sunny weather for 300 days a year. What’s not to love about living in Las Vegas?
Reno
To many people, Reno is a bit like a miniature Las Vegas. Farther north than Sin City itself and nestled in the picturesque foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Reno calls itself “the biggest little city in the world” because it combines small-town life with big-city amenities.
The average price of an apartment in Reno is approximately $1,300, although you can find cheaper rental options if you know where to look. From your new home, you’ll have easy access to North Lake Tahoe (about 40 miles away from the city center), which offers both winter and summer sports. In the city center, you’ll find plenty of activities to keep you busy, including casinos aplenty and enough bars and restaurants to keep your thirst at bay on a Saturday night.
Reno is also home to an excellent university, the University of Nevada at Reno, a college with a beautiful campus overlooking the Truckee Meadows valley. If you’re thinking of heading to grad school or getting a degree, why not consider moving to Reno?
Sparks
Back up in the northern end of Nevada sits Sparks. Somewhere between a city in its own right and a suburb of Reno, Sparks has much to offer its inhabitants. Head downtown to Victorian Square to visit the city’s outdoor amphitheater, as well as the cinema complex and some of the area’s best restaurants and bars.
From central Sparks, you can easily drive southwest to Lake Tahoe or northeast to Virginia Peak or Pyramid Lake for some outdoor adventures with friends and family. Not a fan of fishing or hiking? Don’t worry. Head instead to the upscale outlet mall outside of town, home to more than 45 shops and eating establishments.
Sparks is also within easy driving distance of the soon-to-open Tesla Gigafactory, projected to provide up to 10,000 jobs for Nevadans.
With fantastic amenities, beautiful weather throughout the year, increasing employment opportunities, breath-taking natural scenery, and fast access to the party capital of the world, Nevada can be a truly fantastic place to live. Plenty of great places to live exist within Nevada, but the above six offer something special for residents.
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