Want to know where the latest and greatest places for families are located in Nevada? Do yourself and your family a favor and stick around. Now that you’re here, it’s important to note that HomeSnacks has been ranking the best places for families in Nevada, as well as the rest of the country, for the last eleventh years. We are happy to make these lists because we know how important it is to make sure people find the right fit for their loved ones. So, below is a list of the most family friendly places in the Silver State for 2026 and it would be in your best interest to have a look before you make any life changing decisions.
Nevada is the one of the more extensives states and one of the least populated. This says that there is a lot of room for you and your family to make a difference. And, like many others, if you’ve never been to this western gem, you might think that this state is only Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam just outside of Henderson, and the desert. Surprisingly, it is actually quite the opposite. Nevada has many reasons for families to make the move and to call one of the state’s best places for families home
And, folks, you should do this sooner than later because the secret is out: Nevada is one of the fastest growing state in the country and this is because it does a great job catering to families.
So, want to know where families are a priority in The Sagebrush State? Keep reading.
$90,138 median income · 27.3% households with kids
Located in
Clark County, Nevada
Henderson, officially the City of Henderson, is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, about 16 miles southeast of Las Vegas. It is the second-largest city in Nevada, after Las Vegas, with an estimated population of 292,969 in 2016. The city is part of the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which spans the entire Las Vegas Valley. Henderson occupies the southeastern end of the valley, at an elevation of approximately 1,330 feet.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$81,824 median income · 29.1% households with kids
Located in
Humboldt County, Nevada
Winnemucca ) is the only incorporated city in and is the county seat of Humboldt County, Nevada, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 7,396, up 3.1 percent from the 2000 census figure of 7,174. Interstate 80 passes through the city, where it meets U.S. Route 95.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$79,036 median income · 36.5% households with kids
Located in
Elko County, Nevada
Coordinates: 4050N 11546W 40.833; -115.767 Elko is the largest city and county seat of Elko County, Nevada, United States. The population was 18,297 at the 2010 census. The city straddles the Humboldt River.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$80,760 median income · 26.2% households with kids
Located in
Washoe County, Nevada
Reno is a city in the U.S. state of Nevada. It is in Northern Nevada, approximately 22 miles from Lake Tahoe. Known as “The Biggest Little City in the World”, Reno is famous for its hotels and casinos and as the birthplace of Harrah’s Entertainment. It is the county seat of Washoe County, in the northwestern part of the state. The city sits in a high desert at the foot of the Sierra Nevada and its downtown area occupies a valley informally known as the Truckee Meadows. It is named after Jesse L. Reno.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$73,389 median income · 23.8% households with kids
Located in
Churchill County, Nevada
Fallon is a city in Churchill County, Nevada, United States. The population was 8,606 at time of the 2010 census. Fallon is the county seat of Churchill County and is located in the Lahontan Valley.
Fallon and Churchill County are mostly agricultural areas. Although the area is arid, approximately 50,000 acres of its pastureland are irrigated with water from the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District. The principal crop grown is alfalfa for livestock feed. The “Heart O’ Gold” cantaloupes of Churchill County were once distributed across the United States, but are now grown mostly for consumption in Nevada.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$89,056 median income · 31.5% households with kids
Located in
Washoe County, Nevada
Sparks is a city in Washoe County, Nevada, United States. It was founded in 1904 and incorporated on March 15, 1905, and is located just east of Reno. The 2010 U.S. Census Bureau population count was 90,264. It is the fifth most populous city in Nevada. It is named after the late Nevada Governor John Sparks, a member of the Silver Party.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$79,542 median income · 38.1% households with kids
Located in
Clark County, Nevada
North Las Vegas is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, in the Las Vegas Valley. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 216,961, with an estimated population of 249,180 in 2017. The city was incorporated on May 16, 1946. It is in the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA and is the fourth largest city in the state of Nevada.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$75,227 median income · 13.9% households with kids
Located in
Lincoln County, Nevada
Mesquite is a U.S. city in Clark County, Nevada, adjacent to the Arizona state line and 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas on Interstate 15. As of 2015, the United States Census estimates that the city had a population of 17,496. The city is located in the Virgin River valley adjacent to the Virgin Mountains in the northeastern part of the Mojave Desert. It is home to a growing retirement community, as well as several casino resorts and golf courses.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$49,013 median income · 27.0% households with kids
West Wendover is a small city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. The population was 4,410 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Elko micropolitan area. West Wendover is located on the eastern border of Nevada and the western edge of the Great Salt Lake Desert and is contiguous with Wendover, Utah, with which it is sometimes confused. Interstate 80 runs just north of the cities, while Interstate 80 Business runs through the two cities.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Nevada’s statewide median.
Nevada statewide median: $78,260
Nevada statewide median: $446,865
On the map
Where Nevada’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Nevada anyways?
To give you the places in Nevada that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Nevada, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 4,000 people. For Nevada, that meant a total of 9 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Nevada.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In Nevada
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henderson | 332,141 | $90,138 | $486,156 | 27.3% |
| 2 | Winnemucca | 8,361 | $81,824 | $349,754 | 29.1% |
| 3 | Elko | 20,696 | $79,036 | $360,731 | 36.5% |
| 4 | Reno | 273,212 | $80,760 | $567,857 | 26.2% |
| 5 | Fallon | 9,463 | $73,389 | $391,150 | 23.8% |
| 6 | Sparks | 110,024 | $89,056 | $529,283 | 31.5% |
| 7 | North Las Vegas | 278,595 | $79,542 | $407,047 | 38.1% |
| 8 | Mesquite | 22,059 | $75,227 | $380,205 | 13.9% |
| 9 | West Wendover | 4,514 | $49,013 | $295,977 | 27.0% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 9 Nevada cities with more than 4,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Nevada
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Nevada ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Nevada are Henderson, Winnemucca, Elko, Reno, Fallon, Sparks, North Las Vegas, Mesquite, West Wendover.
