What is it like to live in Las Vegas?

Answer 1

My granparents live there and they love it. Its hot as heck tho and the traffic sucks.

Answer 2

Depends on what you are interested in and how you like to live. The city is about 2 million people and some come and some go every month.

How would I rate living there overall? Despite the typical metropolitan troubles listed below, I'd say 'good.'

Here are a few thoughts on the good, the bad, and the really ugly; much like any large city.

The weather is great, even when it's hot. When it's hot, stay inside or if you have to be outside drink a lot of water and wear hats and clothes that cover and protect you from the sun (which is not nearly as 'dangerous' as it is in clean air places like Hawaii).

A quick way to estimate the temperature is to wave your hand in the air; if the air feels warm, the temperature is about 104 - 106. If the air feels hot, it's above that and I don't care what anyone says about dry heat, above 110 it's HOT.

It snows (or at least hails) a few times per year so it gets cold for a few months. The most beautiful weather is in autumn and spring when the temperatures are moderate but the daily temperature swings can be 30 degrees. People can golf almost year around. If you need to cool off, drive 40 miles to Mt. Charleston where the elevation makes it much cooler.

The dry conditions mean there are almost no flying insects in most areas of town (we saw a housefly last year and a mosquito the year before). Unfortunately, that also means that some insects (like cockroaches) can live outside and are fairly common but not as bad as in the South. There are also quite a few spiders and a few places have scorpions but they aren't too much trouble.

The dry conditions (and generally alkaline water) will do strange things to your hair if you come from back east and are really rough on sensitive skin.

Generally, twice a year when the wind really roars through town and kicks up dust but the allergens are generally pretty low. Because LV has a lot of automobile traffic and is surrounded by mountains (see Google Earth) things can get a little smoggy - depending on the weather you can see a haze over the Strip which is why people like to live away from that area.

Other advantages are the shows, Zagat rated restaurants or inexpensive but decent buffets, drinking in public (if that floats your boat), and places that are open 24/7.

Away from the Strip, life looks pretty much like any place in the Southwest or southern California (which most Las Vegans hate) - stucco houses with palm trees and red rock yards (too close together). There are churches, shopping centers, baseball and soccer fields, and interesting little businesses.

The major difference is that your neighbor might get up in the middle of the night to go deal cards.

The traffic is slow during the rush hours (one of the disadvantages of the 24/7 city is that there are THREE rush hours every day). On the other hand, compared to DC, Chicago, LA, and other truly metropolitan areas this traffic is wussy and it takes you 45 - 60 minutes to go somewhere rather than 20 - 30 minutes.

LV drivers however are ATROCIOUS; I've driven in 25 countries and 40+ states and LV drivers are among the worst (Pireaus and Bangkok are much worse of course). Traffic always slows down so the idiotic rubberneckers can see the accident or even a ticket being issued.

There are plenty of predatory lawyers willing to sue you or your dead grandmother if you are involved in an accident

Street signage is not as bad as Boston but is not very clear in many places.

Parts of the traffic problem were the lack of taxes (ha!, more later), a suit by the Sierra Club against widening the highway, the lack of timed lights to promote traffic flow (trying to fix that now), and the constant construction that fouls things up even when it works right.

Because of the large number of people moving in, housing costs are high for free-standing single family homes. Rents are high because many of the apartments are converting to condos.

Additionally, neighborhoods are not as friendly (and maybe not as safe) as they used to be because of all the transients. Overall crime is not too bad but there are some really rough neighborhoods. Police and Fire Protection services are very good.

Although less so than in many cities, homeless people are a problem.

Taxes have been historically low but have increased significantly largely due to the previous rino governor who nearly doubled the tax collections (then had to give back $300 million).

Although there are some good people in government, some of the LV and Clark County politicians and judges rank right up there among the ignorant and venal. It's OK if you're one of the good old boys but otherwise get out of the way; probably not as bad as some other southern states but not very attractive.

The FBI has been busy investigating and prosecuting politicians for years but this is a tradition in Nevada - the first state treasurer Eben Rhoades - and a few of his successors - embezzled money from the treasury.

A couple of years ago the Nevada supreme court (sic) made the state a national laughing stock when they ruled against the people's constitutional amendment and said the governor could raise taxes (see the Wall Street Journal).

Schools are so-so at best (look up the stats) but as the nation's fifth largest school district they spend a lot of money. Starting salaries are higher than some let on, but not great. Hiring rules are so restrictive that teachers from other states can't get registered (see the LV Review Journal) but the school board can hire foreigners to teach.

The state has a huge public employee pension fund liability that is gong to be very painful in the near future (one of the highest liability to income ratios).

The quality of health care is spotty; while there are strict licensing regulations, you have to be careful in selecting your physician (suits and settlements are not always published).

There are lots of social groups and functions (though not necessarily haute). There is a real upper crust of socialites and they have their own vanity publication.

The great outdoors is immediately available and Lake Mead is a popular place to visit.

It does seem to be a good place to retire and there are facilities for assisted living.

Wow.

Answer 3

It is paradise. Moved here from the east coast and it is the greatest place on the face of the earth.

Answer 4

I did not like it. Too much traffic.

Answer 5

it's a dry heat

(so's my oven)