Area 51, a weekend of gambling in Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam, and Burning Man, have nothing on the best places to live in Nevada for 2026.
Nevada has some pretty sweet deals on real estate in some super safe, lovely places. For instance, Nevada has hip millennial cities like Winchester, fun college cities like Henderson, and crazy gambling cities like Reno.
How’d we find the best places to live in Nevada? We used Saturday Night Science to analyze Census, FBI, and Zillow data on the 16 Nevada places with 1,000 or more residents. We considered factors like home prices, household income, education, and safety.
Here’s where you’re bound to hit it big in Nevada.
$90,138 median income · $486,156 median home · #1 best place in Nevada
Located in
Clark County, Nevada
We’ve been ranking Nevada’s best cities for awhile now, and Henderson just keeps topping the list. Located just southeast of Las Vegas, Henderson has all the action of Sin City plus a little extra quality of life. There’s The M Resort for those looking to gamble, the Lion Habitat Ranch for animal-enthusiasts, Sloan Canyon for the outdoorsmen and women, and Cowabunga Bay Water Park for the kids and kids at heart.
Speaking of kids, Henderson has an excellent public school system, with GreatSchools awarding over 15 schools a 9/10 rating or higher. Henderson’s high school dropout rate is the 2nd lowest in Nevada. The crime rate in Henderson is the 5th lowest statewide, and the poverty rate is the 5th lowest. All these factors contribute to Henderson being one of the best places to retire in Nevada. The cost of living in Henderson is moderate, and the median household income here is $90,138/year. Henderson’s grown by more than 15% in the last decade, with property values increasing by around 9% in the last year alone. Just make sure you don’t move to one of Henderson’s worst neighborhoods and everything should be peachy.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$73,389 median income · $391,150 median home · #2 best place in Nevada
Located in
Churchill County, Nevada
Billing itself as “The Oasis of Nevada,” Fallon ranks as the 2nd nicest spot to live statewide. Don’t take our word for it when we say Fallon has excellent public schools — the data proves it with the 3rd lowest high school dropout rate in Nevada.
Additionally, Fallon has safe streets, likely a result of an economic situation that works for everyone. That’s because Fallon has the 4th lowest unemployment rate in Nevada. And you won’t be huffing and puffing in traffic on your way to work, either — Fallon also has the 11th shortest average commute time statewide.
If you’re looking for action in Fallon, there’s the ever-present casino scene (it is Nevada, after all) at Stockman’s Casino. Whiskey-lovers will be thrilled to have the local Frey Ranch Distillery in their neighborhood.
But if you’re not into all that jazz, there’s still Grimes Point for lovers of nature and ancient history alike. And the whole community gets involved in the annual Fallon Cantaloupe Festival & Country Fair. In other words, you’ll have to actively avoid fun if you want to be bored in Fallon.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$89,056 median income · $529,283 median home · #3 best place in Nevada
Located in
Washoe County, Nevada
Located just east of Reno near the California border, Sparks comes in as the 3rd best place to live in Nevada. With a population of 110,024, Sparks is big enough to have all the amenities necessary for a high standard of living while retaining a sense of community. Marina Park is a favorite for locals looking to get out of the house, while ample outlet shopping will keep even the most ravenous of shopaholics satisfied. Sparks also hosts the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off, an annual event that’s topped lists of the best BBQ festivals in the country.
Sparks has been growing at a rapid pace; not just the population, but employees, wages, and property values have all risen by a lot in recent years. Sparks has the 7th lowest levels of unemployment and poverty in Nevada, so you know everyone gets their fair share here. Sparks residents also enjoy the 4th highest median household income in Nevada at $89,056/year.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$75,227 median income · $380,205 median home · #4 best place in Nevada
Located in
Lincoln County, Nevada
Located on the Arizona border 80 miles northeast of Vegas in the Virgin River Valley, Mesquite is a desert paradise that combines the best of small-town life with big-city attractions. Majestic mountains for a stunning backdrop for eye-popping sunsets, top-quality golf courses and casinos abound, and there are museums dedicated both to local history and local artistry. And, of course, plenty of outdoor hotspots nearby to make staying active a treat instead of a chore.
Mesquite is the oldest city on our list by a wide margin, with a median age of 63, thanks to a growing retirement community. The crime rate here is about 30% below the national average, making Mesquite one of Nevada’s safest cities. The median household income in Mesquite is $75,227/year, the 10th highest statewide. All these awesome features help explain why Mesquite is Nevada’s fastest growing city, with a population increase of over 20% since 2010.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$80,760 median income · $567,857 median home · #5 best place in Nevada
Located in
Washoe County, Nevada
Reno, with its incredible Riverwalk District, dizzying array of events, and downtown whitewater kayak park, comes in as the 5th best place to call home in Nevada. Previously filled with nothing but casinos and kitschy shops, Reno’s downtown has undergone a renaissance recently. The casinos are still prevalent, but now it’s nicely rounded out by a thriving Arts District and top-notch museums. No wonder Reno featured big on our list of the best places for singles in Nevada.
Here’s the rub: Reno is also Nevada’s most expensive city, so it’s best to come here with some savings or a lucrative job lined up. Reno’s homes are the most expensive in the state at around $567,857 and the cost of living is higher than the statewide average. We think Reno’s locals would argue that good schools, low poverty and unemployment, and a rollicking good time are worth every penny, though. Having a population that’s grown by nearly 10% in the last decade means even outsiders tend to agree.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$49,013 median income · $295,977 median home · #6 best place in Nevada
Located on the Utah border in northeastern Nevada, West Wendover ranks as the state’s 6th best place. You’re sure to spot Wendover Will, a 50-foot-tall neon cowboy that welcomes you to the city, as you rip through the Cowboy Corridor (I-80). Five casinos, a concert hall that regularly pulls big-name acts, and countless events make West Wendover an exciting place to live. With a median age of 40, it’s also the youngest city to make this list.
The unemployment rate in West Wendover ranks as the lowest in Nevada at a measly 1.0%. And if you’re part of the mega-majority of employed residents, you get the added perk of having the 1st shortest commute time in the state at just 13 minutes. You also don’t have to worry about getting carjacked on the way to work, because West Wendover has the 7th lowest crime rate in Nevada.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$77,500 median income · $204,821 median home · #7 best place in Nevada
At the eastern end of U.S. Highway 50 you’ll find the bustling town of Ely, the 7th best place in Nevada. Ely’s history as a stagecoach station, mining town, and key railroad stop is documented in an impressive series of murals throughout the town. If you want to see how things looked back in the day, a visit to Ely’s Renaissance Village is just the thing. Those who prefer their history with a side of picnicking or hiking might prefer to spend time at Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park.
Homes in Ely are fairly cheap at around $204,821 and you won’t find cheaper rent on this list than Ely’s median rental price of $950/month, less than half the average rent in Nevada. Ely’s unemployment is the 5th lowest in the state and workers enjoy the 2nd shortest average commute time in Nevada.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$81,824 median income · $349,754 median home · #8 best place in Nevada
Located in
Humboldt County, Nevada
Located smack dab in the middle of north-central Nevada’s cowboy country, Winnemucca is a place with a unique heritage and culture. You don’t want to miss out on either of the cities two big annual events, the Ranch Hand Rodeo for all things cowboy and the Basque Festival, a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. And if you’re looking for some of the best ATVing opportunities in the country, you’ll want to visit Nevada’s largest sand dunes in Winnemucca.
Being the heart of buckaroo territory, you might not expect Winnemucca to be an enclave for the state’s elite, but we named it the richest place in Nevada. The median household income in Winnemucca is the 5th highest in the state at $81,824/year and unemployment sits at 5.7%. Winnemucca also doesn’t fit the rough and tumble cowboy stereotype completely, seeing as the crime rate here is the 4th lowest in Nevada and the violent crime rate ranks as the 13th lowest. If you want to give Winnemucca a try, the median rent here is only $965/month, 40% lower than the statewide median.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$60,898 median income · $215,968 median home · #9 best place in Nevada
Carlin is a small city of 2,088 located 25 miles west of Elko along I-80. Known as the place “where the train stops and the Gold Rush begins,” Carlin remains true to its gold mining past even to this day. The Carlin Trend, just northwest of the city, is one of the most productive gold mining areas in the country. Just outside of town, there’s plenty of natural splendor to explore, even if you’re not after a nugget of gold.
All that gold seems to be keeping Carlin quiet flush because residents here enjoy the 13th highest median household income in Nevada at $60,898/year. Carlin also has great public schools that have achieved the lowest high school dropout rate in Nevada. As a bonus, Carlin’s a place where unwelcome medical surprises are a little less scary since the city has the 16th highest rate of residents with health insurance statewide.
$79,036 median income · $360,731 median home · #10 best place in Nevada
Located in
Elko County, Nevada
Located in the heart of northeastern Nevada beside the snow-capped Ruby Mountans, Elko ranks as the 10th best place to live in the state. ATVing, rock-climbing, biking, hunting and more are all available in and around Elko, so you won’t have to wonder what to do with yourself on the weekend. Humboldt National Forest is a short day-trip away and the Northeastern Nevada Museum is in town if you’re itching for a slice of culture. All these features make it easy to see why Elko topped our list of the best cities for families in Nevada.
Crime in Elko ranks as the 3rd crime lowest in Nevada, so you don’t have to worry about the cowboy culture causing any dust-ups here. Elko also rates among Nevada’s most affordable cities, with a cost of living about 5% lower than the statewide average. While Elko has the 9th most expensive median home price in the state at $360,731, having the 8th highest median household income at $79,036/year offsets that cost and then some.
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
Nevada statewide median: 7.0%
On the map
Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in Nevada
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Calculated The Best Cities To Live In Nevada
Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in Nevada, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit cities with populations over 100,000 against places with a population of 18?
We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.
So, to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:
- Cities — Populations over 1,000
- Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 1,000
- Small Towns — Populations below 1,000
We then decided no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in Nevada have more of everything, and therefore, you need over 1,000 people to truly be ‘the best.’
Now that we had our set of the best possible cities, it was time to rank them using Saturday Night Science.
We ranked each place in Nevada across a number of criteria from one to 16, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, crowning the city posting the lowest overall score, the “Best Place To Live In Nevada.”
The criteria we looked to determine the best places were:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is better)
- Unemployment Rate
- Commute Time
- Crime
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty rates
Sources of criteria include the New Census Data, FBI Crime Data, and Zillow. We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking Nevada’s best places to live.
If your city or town isn’t among the top 10, jump down to the bottom of the post to see a detailed chart of the best places in Nevada. Otherwise, buckle up for a ride down good living lane with Henderson at the end of the cul-de-sac.
The full plate
Best Places To Live In Nevada Table
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Best Score | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income | Rent | Total Crime /100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Henderson | 5.30 | 332,141 | 6.8% | $486,156 | $90,138 | 2,056 | |
| 2 | Fallon | 5.90 | 9,463 | 3.5% | $391,150 | $73,389 | 1,384 | |
| 3 | Sparks | 6.70 | 110,024 | 5.2% | $529,283 | $89,056 | 2,999 | |
| 4 | Mesquite | 6.80 | 22,059 | 5.7% | $380,205 | $75,227 | 1,206 | |
| 5 | Reno | 7.70 | 273,212 | 5.1% | $567,857 | $80,760 | 3,030 | |
| 6 | West Wendover | 7.80 | 4,514 | 1.0% | $295,977 | $49,013 | 2,370 | |
| 7 | Ely | 7.85 | 3,929 | 3.9% | $204,821 | $77,500 | 2,793 | |
| 8 | Winnemucca | 8.65 | 8,361 | 5.7% | $349,754 | $81,824 | 1,985 | |
| 9 | Carlin | 8.90 | 2,088 | 1.6% | $215,968 | $60,898 | 2,370 | |
| 10 | Elko | 8.90 | 20,696 | 5.2% | $360,731 | $79,036 | 1,851 | |
| 11 | Fernley | 9.40 | 24,225 | 5.5% | $395,925 | $89,517 | 2,793 | |
| 12 | Las Vegas | 9.80 | 660,400 | 7.4% | $426,583 | $73,877 | 2,473 | |
| 13 | North Las Vegas | 10.00 | 278,595 | 8.5% | $407,047 | $79,542 | 2,473 | |
| 14 | Yerington | 10.40 | 3,150 | 2.7% | $312,509 | $57,980 | 2,793 | |
| 15 | Lovelock | 10.90 | 1,481 | 9.2% | $249,971 | $42,074 | 2,793 | |
| 16 | Wells | 11.00 | 1,352 | 5.5% | $218,811 | $107,454 | 2,370 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, FBI UCR, Zillow research. 16 places with more than 1,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places In Nevada
If you’re looking at areas in Nevada with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The best places to live in Nevada are Henderson, Fallon, Sparks, Mesquite, Reno, West Wendover, Ely, Winnemucca, Carlin, and Elko.
Henderson made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in Nevada for 2026.
