Las Vegas is a large city of 650K people spread across over 350 different communities. If you are interested in moving to Vegas, having so many neighborhood options to choose from can be overwhelming, but it also means you are sure to find one community that meets all of your needs.
In general, downtown Vegas and The Strip can be expensive to live in, be very congested, and have some of the highest crime rates in the country. Thankfully, you can travel less than 10 miles away from the primary Vegas attractions and hit some nice suburban areas. The best of these locations are west towards Red Rock Canyon and south towards Henderson.
Consistent with other big cities, don’t be surprised to find housing is more expensive than other areas of the country. The average housing cost for Vegas is 20% than the average American cost. The nicest areas will be even more pricey.
1. Summerlin
Summerlin is a master-planned community with 125K residents sitting on 22,500 acres on the west side of Las Vegas. First started in 1990, the neighborhood “has grown to encompass more than 230 parks, more than two dozen public and private schools, 14 houses of worship, nine golf courses, three resort hotels, recreational facilities, retail and entertainment centers, well-established office parks, a medical center, and more.”
Being a master-planned community, Summerlin provides everything a resident needs for day-to-day life inside its community borders. The downtown Summerlin area provides some of the best shopping and eating in Las Vegas.
Residents will likely need a car for day-to-day errands because the commercial locations are spread out pretty far. The community receives a low walkability score of 33 out of 100.
Housing costs in this neighborhood are above Vegas and US averages. The median home value in Summerlin is $310K versus $273 in Vegas and $231K in the US. Median rent in Summerlin is $1,500 versus $1,300 Vegas and $1,100 US.
Summerlin is an affluent community with a median household income of $75K versus a Las Vegas median of $56K and a US median of $63K. Inside of this community, just off the famous TPC Summerlin golf course, you will find “Billionaire’s Row” where the ultra-rich of Las Vegas call home. Of course, they represent just a tiny percent of Summerlin’s population.
The community is home to more than two dozen public and private schools. One of the best school systems in the area is Doral Academy, which has multiple locations in the community. Most of these locations rank in the top 10% of Nevada schools. Keep in mind that Nevada is ranked near the bottom of educational funding in the US. You should also note that the top-ranked schools in the city are Charter schools, which are tuition-free but can be challenging to get admitted into.
Summerlin is one of the safest areas of Nevada, with crime rates below Nevada and national averages.
This community is not as diverse as other nearby Vegas communities, but the demographic statistics still look decent when compared to other parts of the country:
- White 58%
- Hispanic 20%
- Asian 9%
- Black 9%
- Other 4%
2. Peccole Ranch
Peccole Ranch is another master-planned community and sits very close to Summerlin on the west side of Vegas. This community has 11K residents on its 640 acres.
This community’s statistics are also very similar to Summerlin’s. Being a master-planned community, Peccole Ranch provides everything a resident needs for day-to-day life inside its community borders. There are many restaurants and shops to choose from; just not as much variety as the much larger Summerlin. Its small size also gives Peccole Ranch a slightly improved walkability score of 40/100.
Housing costs in this neighborhood are above Vegas and US averages. The median home value in Peccole Ranch is $362K versus $273 in Vegas and $231K in the US. Median rent in Peccole Ranch is $1,400 versus $1,300 Vegas and $1,100 US.
Peccole Ranch doesn’t have a “Billionaire Row” but it is still an affluent community with a median household income of $69K versus a Las Vegas median of $56K and US median of $63K.
The community is home to about a dozen public and private schools. It is also close enough to Summerlin that kids can attend some of Summerlin’s schools, such as the top-ranked Doral Academy. Please note that the best schools in the city are Charter Schools, which are tuition-free, but can be challenging to get admitted into. So you should research multiple school options. You should also be aware that Nevada is ranked near the bottom of educational funding in the US.
Its crime rate is similar to national averages and much lower than downtown Vegas’ crime rates.
Peccole Ranch is less diverse than Summerlin:
- White 65%
- Asian 12%
- Hispanic 11%
- Black 6%
- Other 6%
3. Sovana
Sovana is a small neighborhood on the south side of Vegas. This community has 17K residents on its 1300 acres. Technically, Sovanna is not inside the Vegas city limits, but rather is in the unincorporated town of Spring Valley, NV.
This neighborhood consists mostly of tightly packed single-family homes and apartment buildings. Housing costs in this neighborhood match the Vegas average but are about 20% higher than US averages. The median home value in Sovana is $275K versus $273 in Vegas and $231K in the US. Median rent in Sovana is $1,300 versus $1,300 Vegas and $1,100 US.
The median household income in Sovana is identical to Peccole Ranch at $69K versus a Las Vegas median of $56K and US median of $63K. Having an above-average salary along with average home prices means Sovana is a good cost of living deal for the Las Vegas area.
The community is not master-planned so it is not designed to have everything a resident needs inside of its town limit. This community has fewer in-town stores and restaurants than Summerlin and Peccole Ranch. Sovana has a walkability score of only 19 out of 100. This simply means you will need to drive a car to complete your day-to-day errands.
Sovanna has the honor of being ranked the Most Diverse Neighborhood in Las Vegas with the following demographics:
- White 40%
- Hispanic 23%
- Asian 19%
- Black 11%
- Other 7%
There doIts not appear to be any fantastic schools directly near the Sovanna community. A short drive may be needed to reach an alternate school.
Its crime rate is similar to national averages and much lower than downtown Vegas’ crime rates.
Related: Nevada vs California Taxes
4. The Lakes
The Lakes is a small neighborhood on the west side of Vegas. This community has 20K residents on its 1300 acres. The claim to fame in this neighborhood is the 30-acre Lake Sahara. This man-made lake is actually filled with tap water that is colored blue with food dye. It’s basically a really huge pool, complete with a maintenance crew that works to keep the water and its bottom clean of debris and algae.
This community provides one of the very few areas where you can purchase waterfront homes in the middle of the Nevada desert. Homeowners can dock their boats, swim, and the lake is even stocked for fishing.
Housing costs in this neighborhood are above Vegas and US averages. The median home value in The Lakes is $337K versus $273 in Vegas and $231K in the US. Median rent in The Lakes is $1,500 versus $1,300 Vegas and $1,100 US.
At $64K, the Lakes have a lower median household income than the three neighbors discussed above. Its income levels are still greater than the Las Vegas median of $56K and equal to the US median of $63K.
There are a few schools inside the community that has decent ratings, but The Lakes is also just a few miles from the Summerlin community schools, including the well-ranked Doral Academy.
The Lakes has the honor of being ranked the Second Most Diverse Neighborhood in Las Vegas (behind Sovana above) with the following demographics:
- White 49%
- Asian 20%
- Hispanic 18%
- Black 9%
- Other %
This neighborhood made the Top 10 list of the safest areas of Nevada, with crime rates below Nevada and national averages.
5. Silverado Ranch
Silverado Ranch is another master-planned community to the south of Las Vegas, bordering the city of Henderson. This community has 53K residents on its 2500 acres. Technically, Silverado Ranch is not inside the Vegas city limits, but rather is in the unincorporated town of Paradise, NV.
Housing costs in this neighborhood are above Vegas and US averages. The median home value in Silverado Ranch is $341K versus $273 in Vegas and $231K in the US. Median rent in Silverado Ranch is $1,500 versus $1,300 Vegas and $1,100 US. This neighborhood has a variety of housing options including single-family homes, condos, and apartments. Home sizes range from 1500 sq ft to 4,000 sq ft.
Silverado Ranch is an upper-middle-class neighborhood with a median household income of $75K versus a Las Vegas median of $56K and US median of $63K.
The community is home to the 324-acre Sunset Park, the largest park in the Las Vegas area. This park features a 1.4-acre pond that is a popular fishing spot. Silverado Ranch also borders Red Rock Canyon, which offers a variety of outdoor activities such as hiking biking, camping, and rock climbing.
This community has several schools in its vicinity, a few of which are top-rated such as Pinecrest and Gehring.
Its crime rate is similar to national averages and much lower than downtown Vegas’ crime rates.