2026 editionWestPop. 3,282,188Capital Carson City36th state, admitted 1864Cook PVI Even
Is Nevada a Good Place to Live? Nevada Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes
Nevada ranks #40 of 50 with a composite score of 45.8 and a C grade, strongest in livability (#11) and weakest in economy (#46). The median household earns $81,134 (in line with the national median), homes typically cost $442,027 (20% above the national average), and violent crime is 379 per 100,000 (16% above the national average).
Dependence on one industry gives Nevada unemployment of 5.3%, among the highest in the country, alongside GDP growth of +5%, the fastest. For a household earning its living elsewhere, no income tax and property tax of 0.5% are real money; for one needing a job here, the schools and volatility are the trade.
Nevada by the numbers
Six measures every state is judged on, each with Nevada's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.
Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.
Read the Nevada overview
Nevada scores above the national average in 4 of 11 categories and ranks #10 of 13 states in the West, behind 9 regional neighbors. Its biggest edge over the country is total tax burden (8.62%, 0.1 points below the national average); its biggest shortfall is unemployment rate (5.3%, 1.3 points above the national average). With 3 bottom-10 finishes and no top-10 category, its case rests on price rather than performance.
Where does Nevada rank in each category?
All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. Nevada is top 10 in 0 and bottom 10 in 3.
| Category | Score | Rank | Grade | Weight | US avg | The numbers behind it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 28.0 | #46 of 50 | D | 15% | 47.1 | Its unemployment rate is 5.3% and median household income is $81,134. |
| Safety | 55.9 | #42 of 50 | C | 12% | 68.9 | The FBI estimates 379.2 violent crimes and 1,996 property crimes per 100,000 residents. |
| Health | 44.9 | #34 of 50 | C+ | 12% | 54.4 | Life expectancy is 76.4 years, 34.2% of adults have obesity, and 11.4% of residents are uninsured. |
| Education | 40.3 | #45 of 50 | D | 12% | 57.5 | Eighth graders average 265 in NAEP math and 253 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 81.7%. |
| Affordability | 61.7 | #33 of 50 | C+ | 10% | 65.2 | Typical home value $442,027 (5.4x median income); cost of living index 100 (100 = US); center-based infant care $15,633 a year. |
| Fiscal Health | 57.6 | #28 of 50 | C+ | 8% | 58.1 | It carries $2,410 of debt per resident, has 76% of pensions funded, and holds a AA credit rating. |
| Growth | 41.9 | #23 of 50 | B | 7% | 38.8 | Population grew 0.88% last year; Census net domestic migration is +4.6 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series). |
| Transportation | 52.4 | #21 of 50 | B | 7% | 49.8 | The average commute is 25.7 minutes, 2.5% of workers use public transit, and 11.3% work from home. |
| Livability | 45.7 | #11 of 50 | B+ | 7% | 34.3 | It has 1.892 restaurants and 0.051 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.214 bars and 0.029 social associations per 1,000. |
| Outdoor Access | 39.3 | #13 of 50 | B+ | 6% | 29.4 | 84.9% of its land is public, with 1.66 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents. |
| Environment | 41.5 | #24 of 50 | B | 4% | 42.5 | Its median air quality index is 41, 32% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 25.7. |
Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.
Category shape
Nevada's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; Nevada bulges toward livability and dips at economy.
How expensive is Nevada?
Nevada's cost of living index is 100 against a national baseline of 100, in line with the national average and #34 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $442,027 (20% above the national average); buying it takes an income of about $110,080, $28,946 more than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Pahrump is cheapest (index 94.8) and Dayton priciest (101).
Housing market snapshot · August
Cool marketRanked #15 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #35 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household is $28,946 short of the income needed to buy the typical home.
Full Nevada housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →What a household keeps at $75,000
| Household | Nevada | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare | −$19,034 | −$11,758 | #28 of 50 |
| Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare | +$30,194 | +$31,418 | #28 of 50 |
| Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax | +$33,290 | +$35,970 | #30 of 50 |
Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.
What are taxes like in Nevada?
Nevada has no state income tax; instead it leans on low property tax, high sales tax. The total state and local tax burden comes to 8.62% of income, 0.1 points below the national average (#24 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 0.5% of home value (#4), and combined sales tax averages 8.24% (#38).
Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.
Can the state pay its bills?
Fiscal health scores 57.6 out of 100, #28 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.
Is Nevada safe?
Nevada reports 379 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 16% above the national average and #37 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,996 per 100,000, 30% above the national average (#47 of 50). The safety score is 55.9 out of 100, #42 of 50; among tracked cities, Mesquite has the lowest violent crime rate.
Nevada vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents
FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.
Safest tracked cities in Nevada
| City | Population | Violent / 100K | Property / 100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson | 332,141 | 225 | 1,502 |
| Carson City | 58,384 | 358 | 794 |
| North Las Vegas | 278,595 | 362 | 1,626 |
| Sparks | 110,024 | 365 | 2,264 |
| Reno | 273,212 | 551 | 2,347 |
Lowest violent crime among the 20 Nevada cities we track with 50,000 or more residents. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.
What is the job market like in Nevada?
Nevada's unemployment rate is 5.3%, 1.3 points above the national average and #49 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $81,134, in line with the national median. Real GDP grew +5% in the latest year (#1 of 50) and GDP per capita is $58,723, 9% below the national average. The population is growing 0.88% a year, 0.4 points above the national average. The economy score is 28 out of 100, #46 of 50.
Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.
Highest-paying tracked occupations in Nevada, adjusted for cost of living
| Occupation | Cost-adjusted | Median wage | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $209,938 | $203,640 | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise |
| Lawyers | $137,613 | $133,485 | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise |
| Software Developers | $133,486 | $129,481 | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise |
| Civil Engineers | $97,688 | $94,757 | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $97,329 | $94,409 | Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.
How are Nevada's schools and healthcare?
Nevada's education score is 40.3 out of 100, #45 of 50. Eighth graders average 265 in NAEP math (#44 of 50) and 253 in reading (#42 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 81.7%, 3.9 points below the national average (#43 of 50).
Nevada is #34 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 76.4 years, 0.5 years below the national average. 34.2% of adults have obesity (#26 of 50) and 11.4% of residents have no health insurance (#47 of 50). The health score is 44.9 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.
Who is moving to Nevada, and who is leaving?
Nevada gained a net 8,977 households from other states in the latest IRS release: 66,782 moved in and 57,805 moved out, +2.7 per 1,000 residents (#7 of 50). Arriving households report an average income of $87,255 against $74,626 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +41.0K people (130.4K in, 89.4K out, ±13.9K), consistent with the IRS direction.
Where they come from
- 1California26,210 · $102,572
- 2Texas3,689 · $77,366
- 3Arizona3,387 · $68,737
- 4Florida3,001 · $72,154
- 5Washington2,580 · $116,390
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.
Where they go
- 1California14,775 · $79,370
- 2Texas4,905 · $78,562
- 3Arizona4,057 · $77,796
- 4Florida3,449 · $106,318
- 5Utah2,790 · $68,351
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.
Where should you live in Nevada?
By composite score, the best of the 20 Nevada cities we track are Summerlin South (61.3), Spanish Springs (59.3), and Enterprise (56.4). Pahrump is the cheapest (cost index 94.8), Spanish Springs the richest ($127,658), and Fernley the fastest growing (+2.7% a year). City ranks are among the 20 Nevada cities we cover, not every city in the state.
Standout cities in Nevada
| Best for | City | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Safest | Mesquite | 119 violent crimes per 100K |
| Cheapest | Pahrump | cost of living index 94.8 |
| Most walkable | Spring Valley | walkability 13.7 of 20 |
| Cleanest air | Pahrump | median AQI 26 (county) |
| Best schools | Fernley | 87% graduation rate |
| Richest | Spanish Springs | $127,658 |
Among the 20 Nevada cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.
Regions of Nevada
Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and the unincorporated towns around the Strip: Paradise, Winchester, Sunrise Manor and Spring Valley, where most service workers live and most crime is counted.
Henderson, Enterprise and Summerlin South: the newer, pricier, quieter half of the valley, HOA-run, with the best schools in Clark County and the fastest growth in the state.
The northern metro: colder, closer to Tahoe, now the more expensive housing market after the tech and logistics boom, with Spanish Springs as its rich suburb.
The small capital, plus Dayton and Fernley as the cheaper bedroom towns for Reno and the industrial center; high desert, long commutes, small-town schools.
All 20 tracked cities, best to worst
| # | City | Grade | Score | Population | Income | Violent / 100K | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Summerlin South | B+ | 61.3 | 31,354 | $117,035 | — | 100.2 |
| 2 | Spanish Springs | B+ | 59.3 | 17,980 | $127,658 | — | 101 |
| 3 | Enterprise | B | 56.4 | 240,464 | $98,462 | — | 100.2 |
| 4 | Henderson | C+ | 55.3 | 332,141 | $90,138 | 225 | 100.2 |
| 5 | Carson City | C+ | 55.3 | 58,384 | $72,355 | 358 | 98.1 |
| 6 | Sparks | C+ | 54.3 | 110,024 | $89,056 | 365 | 101 |
| 7 | Mesquite | C+ | 54.3 | 22,059 | $75,227 | 119 | 100.2 |
| 8 | Reno | C | 52.2 | 273,212 | $80,760 | 551 | 101 |
| 9 | Dayton | C | 52.0 | 15,781 | $102,819 | — | 101 |
| 10 | Spring Valley | C | 50.7 | 219,187 | $74,511 | — | 100.2 |
| 11 | Fernley | C | 50.6 | 24,225 | $89,517 | — | 101 |
| 12 | North Las Vegas | C | 49.1 | 278,595 | $79,542 | 362 | 100.2 |
| 13 | Elko | D | 48.8 | 20,696 | $79,036 | 378 | 94.8 |
| 14 | Las Vegas | D | 47.2 | 660,400 | $73,877 | — | 100.2 |
| 15 | Paradise | D | 44.7 | 185,913 | $59,190 | — | 100.2 |
| 16 | Sun Valley | D | 44.5 | 22,228 | $77,446 | — | 101 |
| 17 | Whitney | D | 43.9 | 47,221 | $67,155 | — | 100.2 |
| 18 | Sunrise Manor | F | 40.0 | 200,218 | $58,421 | — | 100.2 |
| 19 | Winchester | F | 39.0 | 37,081 | $50,120 | — | 100.2 |
| 20 | Pahrump | F | 38.9 | 47,347 | $62,109 | — | 94.8 |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 20 Nevada cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.
Best cities in Nevada for…
| # | City | Score | Education | Safety | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enterprise | 57.3 | — | — | 54.1 |
| 2 | Henderson | 56.4 | 33.1 | 81.6 | 55.0 |
| 3 | Summerlin South | 55.8 | — | — | 38.8 |
| 4 | Carson City | 55.8 | — | 78.4 | 64.5 |
| 5 | Mesquite | 55.3 | 39.1 | 93.6 | 66.9 |
Who is Nevada best for?
The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best Nevada cities for each.
Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →
How does Nevada compare with its neighbors?
Nevada ranks #40. Among its bordering states, Idaho ranks highest (#4) and California lowest (#47). Arizona is the most similar on the composite score and Idaho the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.
| State | Overall | Score | Median income | Typical home | Cost index | Violent crime | Tax burden | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | #40 | 45.8 | $81,134 | $442,027 | 100 | 379 | 8.62% | |
| Idaho | #4 | 78.4 | $81,166 | $478,744 | 95.5 | 217 | 7.54% | Compare → |
| Utah | #6 | 75.4 | $96,658 | $534,582 | 98.9 | 236 | 9.46% | Compare → |
| Oregon | #35 | 50.9 | $85,220 | $496,113 | 103.4 | 311 | 9.06% | Compare → |
| Arizona | #38 | 47.8 | $81,486 | $417,990 | 100.7 | 378 | 8.22% | Compare → |
| California | #47 | 40.2 | $100,149 | $764,158 | 110.7 | 433 | 11% | Compare → |
| United States | — | 57.9 | $80,903 | $368,697 | 100 | 328 | 8.74% |
Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.
How the score works
Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.
The weights
Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.
From raw numbers to scores
Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.
Letter grades
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.
Cities, budgets and neighbors
The 20 Nevada city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.
Editor's notes
Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.
Always the latest release
Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.
What the score cannot tell you
Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.
Category briefs
Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →
Key takeaways
What the Nevada numbers say when read together.
Livability is Nevada's strongest suit
Nevada is a #40 state overall but #11 of 50 for livability, 29 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 45.7 against a national average of 34.3. Outdoor Access (#13) is next. Livability carries 7% of the composite.
Economy is where Nevada falls furthest behind
Nevada ranks #46 of 50 for economy, 6 places below its overall #40, with a score of 28 against a national average of 47.1. At 15% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.
Total tax burden is 0.1 points below the national average
Nevada's total tax burden is 8.62%, 0.1 points below the national average of 8.74%, #24 of 50 (1 = lowest). The largest gap in the other direction is unemployment rate: 5.3%, 1.3 points above the national average. Source: WalletHub tax burden study, latest release.
More households arrive than leave
Nevada ranks #7 of 50 on net household flow per 1,000 residents (+2.7). The households arriving report $12,629 more in average income than those leaving ($87,255 against $74,626), so the state is trading up on income even as the headcount grows. California is both the largest source and the largest destination.
A middle income is squeezed harder here than in most states
A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $19,034 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#28 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $30,194 surplus; a retiree couple at a $33,290 surplus. Infant childcare runs $15,633 a year, in line with the national average.
Nevada sits 5th among its 6-state neighborhood
4 of Nevada's 5 bordering states rank above its #40; the closest match on the composite is Arizona. Median income among them runs from $81,166 in Idaho to $100,149 in California; Nevada is at $81,134.
Frequently asked questions about living in Nevada
Is Nevada a good place to live?
Nevada ranks #40 of 50 with a C grade, #10 of 13 in the West. It is bottom 10 in safety, education, and economy. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 2 of 6 (income and tax burden) and trails on home prices, cost of living, violent crime, and unemployment. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.
Where does Nevada rank among US states?
Nevada ranks #40 of 50 overall with a composite score of 45.8 (grade C), and #10 of 13 states in the West. Its best category rank is #11 (livability) and its worst #46 (economy). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so C means rank 35–42.
Is it expensive to live in Nevada?
At #34 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), Nevada is in line with the national average: its index is 100 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $442,027 (20% above the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $110,080 against a median household income of $81,134. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $19,034 shortfall after all costs, #28 of 50 (1 = most left over).
Does Nevada have a state income tax?
No. Nevada levies no state income tax on wages. Its total state and local tax burden is 8.62% of income (#24 of 50, 1 = lowest), 0.1 points below the national average. Property tax is 0.5% of home value and combined sales tax 8.24%.
What is the crime rate in Nevada?
Nevada reports 379 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 16% above the national average and #37 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,996 property crimes per 100,000, 30% above the national average (#47). Its safety score is 55.9 out of 100, #42 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.
Does Nevada have good schools?
Nevada is #45 of 50 for education (score 40.3 out of 100). Its public school students average 265 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#44) and 253 in eighth-grade reading (#42), and the high school graduation rate is 81.7%, 3.9 points below the national average (#43). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Fernley has the highest graduation rate at 87%.
Why are people moving to Nevada?
Nevada gained a net 8,977 households in the latest IRS release: 66,782 moved in and 57,805 moved out, +2.7 per 1,000 residents (#7 of 50). The largest source of arrivals is California (26,210 households) and the most common destination is California (14,775). Arriving households report an average income of $87,255 against $74,626 for those leaving, so movers in earn more than movers out. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.
Is Nevada a red or blue state?
Nevada is an even split on the Cook Partisan Voting Index. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.
What are the downsides of living in Nevada?
The economy comes first. Unemployment of 5.3% is the country's worst because tourism swings, and education ranks #45 because one enormous district serves the south. Beyond the table: Las Vegas summers are brutal, water is rationed by rule, gasoline is $3.96 per gallon, doctor waits are long, and the tourist economy feels transient. Reno trades the heat for Sierra smoke and higher prices.
Is Nevada tax-friendly for retirees?
Yes, about as friendly as it gets. No income tax means no tax on Social Security, pensions or withdrawals; property tax is 0.5%, with a cap on how fast a primary home's bill rises. Retirees pay the sales tax of 8.24% and the doctor shortage. A retiree couple at $75,000 ends the year at a $33,290 surplus, $2,680 below the national median, since housing outweighs the tax savings.
What is the best part of Nevada to live in?
Henderson for families who want the Las Vegas job market without the Strip, with the lowest crime among big valley cities and the best Clark County schools. Summerlin for the same, pricier. Reno and Sparks for mountains, Tahoe and a more diversified economy, now pricier than Vegas. Mesquite for a slow retirement near Utah. Carson City for small and cheap.
Is Nevada running out of water?
Southern Nevada has less water than almost any metro and manages it hardest. Las Vegas draws nearly all its water from Lake Mead; the water authority banned ornamental grass, pays to remove turf and recycles indoor water. Growth continues because per-person use keeps falling. Reno relies on the Truckee River and Sierra snowpack, also tightening.
Is Nevada cheaper than California?
Yes, by a wide margin, which is why California sends the most households. Nevada's cost index of 100 sits well under California's, homes cost a fraction, and there is no income tax against California's steep brackets. Where Nevada loses: gasoline at $3.96 per gallon is nearly as expensive, sales tax is high, schools rank #45, and median income is $81,134.
Do I need a car in Nevada?
Almost certainly. 2.5% of commuters use transit, 0.2 points above the national average, mostly bus riders along the Strip and resort corridor, where service workers live without cars. The rest of the valley and all of Reno are built around driving, with an average commute of 25.7 minutes. Henderson, Summerlin and Lyon County are impossible without one. Gasoline at $3.96 per gallon, #45 of 50, is that layout's cost.
All the numbers
Every metric behind Nevada's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.