Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, also ranks high for recreation

By Las Vegas Sun Staff (contact)

Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023 | 2 a.m.

• Third in a series

You probably could have guessed: Of the 100 largest cities in the United States, Las Vegas came in at No. 1 in a ranking of the best places for recreation, according to personal-finance website WalletHub.

After all, there’s plenty of options here — from catching a Golden Knights or Raiders game, to taking in a show on the Strip, or making the short drive for a hiking trip to gorgeous Red Rock Canyon.

WalletHub compared cities across 48 metrics that speak to the benefits of recreational activities. It examined basic living costs, quality of parks, accessibility of entertainment, recreational facilities and the weather.

It’s one of the many ranking lists Las Vegas has appeared in this year.

Some have been good: Las Vegas is one of the best cities in America for pickleball enthusiasts; and we are No. 34 among the most environmentally friendly cities in America.

And some are not so good. Nevada ranked as the third-worst state for bullying; an analysis found Las Vegas had 22.6 reports of credit card fraud per 10,000 residents to rank seventh nationally for cities with the highest rates of fraudulence.

The Sun accumulated many of the lists and is presenting them this week over four days.

July 5: Despite heat, Nevada ranks low for energy costs

Nevada has some of the lowest energy costs in the country, despite cranking up air conditioners during the summer to battle extreme heat, according to a survey by personal-finance website WalletHub.

The site compared total monthly energy bills for the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The analysis used a formula to account for electricity, natural gas, motor fuel and home heating oil.

Nevada ranked No. 42 on the list of most expensive places, with an average total energy cost of $421 a month. The state ranked No. 37 for electricity, No. 50 for natural gas, No. 14 for motor fuel and No. 32 for home heating oil.

The states with the highest monthly energy costs were Wyoming at $845, North Dakota at $645 and Alaska at $613.

The cheapest place was the District of Columbia at $274.

July 6: Las Vegas is the best city in America for recreation

Of the 100 largest cities in the United States, Las Vegas ranked No. 1 on a list of the best places for recreation, according to personal-finance website WalletHub.

The site compared cities across 48 metrics that speak to the benefits of recreational activities. In each city, it examined basic living costs, quality of parks, accessibility of entertainment, recreational facilities and the weather.

Of little surprise, Las Vegas, nicknamed the Entertainment Capital of the World, ranked No. 2 in the category of entertainment and recreational facilities, topped only by theme-park mecca Orlando, Fla.

Henderson came in No. 24 overall on the list, with Reno at No. 28 and North Las Vegas at No. 67.

Coming in behind Las Vegas in the overall rankings were No. 2 Orlando and No. 3 Tampa, Fla. The worst city for recreation was No. 100 Chula Vista, Calif., coming in just behind Newark, N.J.

July 11: The best and worst places to rent in America

Henderson is one of the best places to rent a home, according to a survey of the largest 182 U.S. rental markets.

Henderson ranked No. 17 on the ranking by personal-finance website WalletHub.

To determine where renters get the most bang for their buck, the site compared markets on 21 key measures of rental attractiveness and quality of life. The data set ranged from differences between rental rates and mortgage payments to historical price changes, cost of living and job availability.

Other Nevada cities on the list were No. 45 Reno, No. 56 Las Vegas and No. 115 North Las Vegas.

The best places to rent were Overland Park, Kan., Scottsdale, Ariz., and Bismarck, N.D.

The worst places were Detroit, Cleveland and Memphis, Tenn.

July 12: State with the most at-risk youths

Nevada ranked No. 16 in an analysis of states with the most at-risk young people, according to personal-finance website WalletHub.

The site noted that 16% of people between the ages of 18 and 24 were neither working nor attending school. Others suffer from poor health conditions that hinder their ability to develop physically or socially, the site said.

To determine the places where young Americans are not faring as well as others in the same age group, WalletHub compared the 50 states and Washington, D.C., across 15 key indicators of youth risk.

The data set ranged from the share of disconnected youths, to the labor force participation rate among youths, to the youth poverty rate.

The states with the most idle youths were Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia. The places that fared best were Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New Jersey.

July 17: Las Vegas one of America’s geekiest cities

Las Vegas ranked No. 5 on a list of America’s geekiest cities, according to Lawn Love, a lawn care website.

The site compared the 200 largest U.S. cities based on four categories. It looked at access to comic book stores, geek social groups and Comic-Cons, among 13 total metrics.

The geekiest cities were New York, Los Angeles and San Antonio, Texas. The least geeky were Miramar, Fla.; Brownsville, Texas; and Palmdale, Calif.

July 17: The most and least educated cities in America

To determine where the most educated Americans are putting their degrees to work, personal-finance website WalletHub compared the 150 largest metropolitan statistical areas across 11 key metrics.

The data set ranged from the share of adults 25 and older with bachelor’s degrees or higher to the quality of the public-school system to the gender education gap.

The Las Vegas-Henderson area ranked No. 122, with a total score of 41.97 out of 100. A total of 80 points was possible for educational attainment and another 20 points were possible for quality of education and attainment gap.

For comparison, the most educated city was Ann Arbor, Mich., with a total of 94.71 and the least educated was Visalia, Calif., with a total score of 8.28.

July 18: Nevada cities rank high for first-time homebuyers

WalletHub, a personal-finance website, compared 300 cities of various sizes to determine the best places for first-time homebuyers.

The site looked at 22 key indicators of market attractiveness, affordability and quality of life. The data set ranged from cost of living to real estate taxes to property-crime rate.

Henderson came in at No. 10, while Reno was No. 18, Las Vegas No. 19 and North Las Vegas No. 45.

The best place for first-time homebuyers was Palm Bay, Fla., while the worst was Berkeley, Calif.

July 19: Cities with the biggest homicide-rate problems

The homicide rate in the U.S. has increased rapidly the past few years, but the trend might be starting to reverse, according to personal-finance website WalletHub.

Homicide rates have fallen by an average of about 5% in 40 of the most populated cities between the second quarter of 2021 and the same quarter this year.

For comparison, in the first quarter of this year, the rate in those cities was 10% higher than the first quarter of 2021.

To determine which cities have the biggest homicide-rate problems, WalletHub compared 40 of the largest U.S. cities based on per capita homicides in the second quarter of this year, as well as per capita homicides in the second quarter of this year versus the same period in 2021 and 2022.

Of cities with the biggest problems, Las Vegas ranked No. 13. The cities with the worst problems were Memphis, Tenn.; St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo.

The cities with the least problem were Austin, Texas; Boston and Raleigh, N.C.

July 20: Nevada boasts some of America’s favorite landmarks for wedding proposals

A poll of 3,000 singles identified the 250 best landmarks for wedding proposals, and Nevada had eight sites on the list.

Mixbook, a design platform for photo books, commissioned Cherry Digital to carry out a poll. The list included the Fountains of Bellagio at No. 42, the Nevada Capitol grounds in Carson City at No. 50, the Reno arch at No. 55 and the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas at No. 58.

Also making the cut were Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, the High Roller observation wheel on the Strip, the Nevada Museum of Art rooftop sculpture garden in Reno and Victorian Square in Sparks.

The top spots overall were Sunset Cliffs Natural Park in San Diego, Calif., the Tampa Riverwalk in Florida and the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.

July 26: Henderson offers some spectacular views

Henderson ranked No. 28 on a list of cities with the best residential views, according to Lawn Love, a lawn care website.

The site looked at the 200 largest U.S. cities with homes featuring views of mountains, water, cityscapes and green spaces. It also factored in historical air quality data to gauge visibility.

Henderson ranked especially high for mountain views, No. 16, and green space views, No. 16.

Reno ranked No. 3 on the list and was No. 1 for mountain views. Other Nevada cities making the cut were No. 65 Las Vegas and No. 130 North Las Vegas.

July 31: The best and worst states for health care

Nevada ranked No. 35 for states offering the best health care, according to an analysis by personal-finance website WalletHub.

To determine where Americans receive the best and worst health care, WalletHub compared the 50 states and District of Columbia across 44 measures of cost, accessibility and outcome.

The states with the best health care systems were Minnesota, Iowa and Rhode Island. The worst were West Virginia, Mississippi and Alaska.

Aug. 2: Las Vegas is a pickleball lovers dream

Las Vegas is one of the best cities in America for pickleball enthusiasts, according to Lawn Love, a lawn care website.

The site compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities on 11 metrics, including access to pickleball courts and tournaments, the size of the pickleball community and local interest in the sport.

Las Vegas came in No. 3, behind only New York and Austin, Texas.

Other Nevada cities on the list were No. 36 Reno, No. 51 Henderson and No. 139 North Las Vegas. The worst pickleball cities were Patterson, N.J.; Laredo, Texas; and Joliet, Ill.

Aug. 7: Nevada eighth-worst state to have a baby

Nevada is one of the worst states in America to have a baby, according to an analysis by the personal-finance website WalletHub.

To determine the most ideal places to have a baby, the site compared the 50 states and District of Columbia across 31 measures of cost and health care accessibility, as well as baby and family friendliness. The data set ranged from hospital delivery charges to infant care costs to pediatricians per capita.

Nevada came in No. 43.

The best states to have a baby were Massachusetts, Minnesota and Vermont. The worst were Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina.

Aug. 8: Las Vegas one of America’s most pet-friendly cities

Las Vegas was near the top of the list of the most pet-friendly cities in the United States, according to a report by personal-finance website WalletHub.

The site compared the 100 largest cities across 23 key metrics.

The data set ranged from minimum pet-care provider rate per visit to pet businesses per capita to walkability.

Las Vegas ranked No. 4, while North Las Vegas came in No. 11, Henderson No. 23 and Reno No. 58.

The most pet-friendly cities were Scottsdale, Ariz.; Tampa, Fla.; and St. Petersburg, Fla. The least pet-friendly were Baltimore, Dallas and Santa Ana, Calif.

Aug. 14: The most livable states

Nevada ranked toward the bottom of a list of the best states to live in, coming in at No. 40.

The Silver State was dragged down by low scores on affordability, the economy, education and health, according to the analysis by personal-finance website WalletHub.

The site compared the 50 states based on 51 key indicators of livability, ranging from housing costs and income growth to the education rate and quality of hospitals.

The most livable states were Massachusetts, New Jersey and New Hampshire. The lowest-rated states were New Mexico, Alaska and Louisiana.

Aug. 22: Where does Las Vegas stack up among the best real estate markets?

Las Vegas came in No. 139 in a ranking of the top 300 U.S. real estate markets, according to an analysis by personal-finance website WalletHub.

To determine the best markets, the site compared cities across 17 key indicators of housing-market attractiveness and economic strength. The data set raged from median home-price appreciation to job growth.

Other Nevada cities on the list were Reno at No. 26, Henderson at No. 54 and North Las Vegas at No. 154.

The top markets were McKinney, Texas; Frisco, Texas; and Nashville, Tenn. The cities at the bottom of the list were Baltimore, New Orleans and Shreveport, La.

Aug. 23: The best cities for soccer fans

Las Vegas ranked No. 42 on a list of 299 cities best for soccer fans, according to personal-finance website WalletHub.

The site compared more than 290 cities with at least one college or pro soccer team. The data set ranged from minimum season-ticket price for a game to stadium accessibility and the number of championship wins.

Reno came in at No. 282.

The top-rated cities were Los Angeles, Seattle and Portland, Ore. Those at the bottom were Pocatello, Idaho; Dover, Del.; and Toledo, Ohio.

Aug. 30: Las Vegas the most popular place to elope

Las Vegas is the No. 1 place in the world for couples to elope, according to research conducted by the Chapel of the Flowers in Las Vegas.

The wedding chapel analyzed worldwide elopement trends and Google search data from the past year to determine where couples are searching to elope around the globe.

Las Vegas receives some 11,800 average monthly searches for terms such as “Vegas elopement” and “elope in Las Vegas,” while #Vegaselopement had 24,000 hashtags on Instagram.

The rest of the top 10 were Italy; Scotland; Ireland; Spain; Nashville, Tenn.; New Orleans; Iceland; Greece; and New York City.

Aug. 31: The best cities for surviving a zombie apocalypse

How safe are you from zombies?

Lawn care website Lawn Love set out to answer that question by comparing the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on five zombie survival categories. They are vulnerability, hideouts, supplies, protection and mobility.

The site considered factors such as population density, access to bunkers and the number of hunting gear stores.

The good news is Las Vegas ranked No. 8 overall on the list, scoring high in the areas of supplies (No. 6) and protection (No. 3).

Less comforting, North Las Vegas was ranked near the bottom of the list at No. 198. Other Nevada cities on the list were No. 60 Reno and No. 131 Henderson.

The best cities for surviving a zombie attack were Houston, New York and San Antonio, Texas. The worst cities were Miramar, Fla., and Jackson, Miss.

Sept. 5: Las Vegas among best places to retire

Las Vegas came in No. 15 among more than 180 cities in a ranking of the best places to retire, according to a study by personal-finance website WalletHub.

The site compared the retiree-friendliness of 182 U.S. cities across 45 key metrics. The data set ranged from the cost of living to retired taxpayer-friendliness to the state’s health infrastructure.

Other Nevada cities on the list were No. 66 Reno, No. 76 Henderson and No. 133 North Las Vegas.

The best retirement cities were Tampa, Fla.; Scottsdale, Ariz.; and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The worst were Stockton, Calif.; Newark, N.J.; and Bakersfield, Calif.

Sept. 6: The best cities for Hispanic entrepreneurs

Henderson was rated the best city in Nevada for Hispanic entrepreneurs, according to a study by personal-finance website WalletHub.

A total of 182 U.S. cities were compared across 24 indicators of business friendliness toward Hispanic entrepreneurs. The metrics included the Hispanic entrepreneurship rate to Hispanic income growth to the share of Hispanic-owned businesses.

Among Nevada cities, Henderson came in No. 55, Reno No. 67, Las Vegas No. 93 and North Las Vegas No. 95.

The top cities for Hispanic entrepreneurs were all in Florida — Orlando, Miami and Pembroke Pines. At the bottom of the list were Cleveland, Ohio; New Haven, Conn.; and Rochester, N.Y.

Sept. 12: The best cities for thrifting

Las Vegas is rated among the best cities in the U.S. for thrifting, according to a study by lawn care website Lawn Love.

The study looked at 200 of the biggest cities for access to thrift stores, consignment shops, flea markets and specialty reuse stores — like Goodwill boutiques and Habitat for Humanity ReStores — among 10 metrics.

Las Vegas came in No. 12 on the list, with Reno at No. 83, Henderson at No. 187 and North Las Vegas at No. 194.

The best cities for thrifting were New York, Los Angeles and Houston. The worst were Miramar, Fla.; West Valley City, Utah; and Santa Clarita, Calif.

Sept. 12: The happiest states in America

Nevada falls in the middle of the pack on a ranking of America’s happiest states.

WalletHub, a personal-finance website, examined the states across 30 key metrics, ranging from the depression rate and share of adults feeling productive to income growth and the unemployment rate.

Nevada ranked No. 32 among the happiest states. It scored high — No. 3 — for community and environment. But it came in at No. 46 for work environment.

If you want to see some really happy folks, head up to Utah, which ranked No. 1 on the list, followed by Hawaii and Maryland.

The saddest states were West Virginia, Louisiana and Tennessee, the study found.

Sept. 18: Nevada ranks as the fifth-worst state for teachers

Nevada is the fifth-worst state to be a teacher, according to a study by personal-finance website WalletHub.

The study noted that teachers are more fairly compensated and better protected in some states than in others. And the best states are less likely to face a “revolving door of teacher turnover,” the study said.

The site compared the 50 states and District of Columbia based on 24 key indicators of teacher-friendliness. Those included income growth potential, pupil-teacher ratio and public school spending per student.

Nevada came in No. 47 on the list, ahead of the worst performers: New Hampshire, the District of Columbia, Hawaii and Maine.

The best states for teachers were Virginia, New York and Utah.

Sept. 19: The best cities to own a vacation rental

Las Vegas ranked No. 67 on a ranking of 182 of the biggest U.S. cities where it is best to own a vacation rental, according to LawnStarter, an online lawn care booking platform.

The site compared cities based on six categories, including legal restrictions on short-term rentals, occupancy rates and revenue potential. It also looked at operated expenses like housekeeping services and utilities, among 18 total metrics.

College towns and smaller cities came out as some of the best bets, while big cities dropped in the rankings for 2023.

A number of 2022’s top 10 cities, including Las Vegas, fell from the top of the list due to the addition of a legality category. Scores were reduced for cities with legal restrictions like permit requirements and rental-period and guest limitations.

The top cities were Durham, N.C.; Birmingham, Ala.; and Milwaukee, Wis. The bottom of the list included California cities Huntington Beach, Sunnyvale and Pasadena.

Other Nevada cities on the list were No. 61 Reno and No. 162 North Las Vegas.

Sept. 19: The best states to visit in the fall

Nevada ranked No. 39 in a listing of the best states for fall visits, according to LawnStarter, an online lawn care booking platform.

The site compared 48 states based on the length of projected fall foliage, scenic drives, fall festivals and pumpkin patches, among 22 metrics.

The best states to visit were California, New York and Washington. The bottom of the list included Louisiana, Oklahoma and Delaware.

Sept. 21: The best cities for dog lovers

Las Vegas ranked as one of the best cities for dog lovers, according to an analysis by LawnStarter, an online lawn care booking platform.

Las Vegas came in No. 12 on the list that compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities on 28 indicators of puppy love. The indicators included access to dog-friendly housing and businesses, suitability for dog-walking and affordability of canine services.

Reno came in No. 47, Henderson No. 120 and North Las Vegas No. 189.

The best cities for dog lovers were Orlando, Fla.; Tampa, Fla.; and Alexandria, Va. The worst were Patterson, N.J.; Detroit and Newark, N.J.

Sept. 21: The best coffee cities in America

Las Vegas is among the best coffee cities in America, according to a study by personal-finance website WalletHub.

The site compared the 100 largest cities across 12 key indicators of coffee lover-friendliness, including factors such as coffee shops per capita and the average price of a pack of coffee.

Las Vegas ranked No. 13 on the list. Reno came in No. 36, North Las Vegas No. 57 and Henderson No. 71.

The top coffee cities were San Francisco; Portland, Ore.; and Seattle. The cities at the bottom of the list were Toledo, Ohio; Hialeah, Fla.; and Laredo, Texas.

Sept. 25: The best cities for vegans and vegetarians

Las Vegas ranked among the top cities for vegans and vegetarians, according to a study by personal-finance website WalletHub.

Las Vegas came in No. 13 in a ranking of the 100 largest cities. Other Nevada cities on the list were No. 49 Henderson, No. 81 Reno and No. 88 North Las Vegas.

About 15.5 million U.S. adults are vegan or vegetarian, the study noted. To determine the best and cheapest places for a plant-based diet, WalletHub compared cities on metrics such as the cost of groceries for vegetarians, the share of restaurants serving meatless options and said shops per capita.

The best cities for vegans and vegetarians were Portland, Ore.; Los Angeles; and Orlando, Fla. The worst cities were Greensboro, N.C.; Baltimore; and Chula Vista, Calif.

Sept. 26: Las Vegas — a golfer’s paradise

Las Vegas is one of the best places in America for golfers, according to a study by lawn care website Lawn Love.

The study compared the 200 biggest U.S. cities based on factors like public and premium course access, course quality, golfer groups and climate, among 25 metrics.

Las Vegas ranked No. 3 on the list, behind No. 1 Scottsdale, Ariz.; and No. 2 Orlando, Fla. Other Nevada cities on the list were No. 33 Henderson, No. 41 Reno and No. 163 North Las Vegas.

The worst cities for golfers were Pasadena, Texas; Patterson, N.J.; and Bridgeport, Conn.

Sept. 27: Nevada cities rank low for people with disabilities

Nevada’s biggest cities landed in the bottom half of a list of the best and worst places for people with disabilities, according to a study by personal-finance website WalletHub.

The site compared 182 of the most populated cities across 33 key factors of disability friendliness. The data set ranged from doctors per capita, to the rate of workers with disabilities, to park accessibility.

Henderson ranked highest among Nevada cities, coming in at No. 121, followed by Las Vegas at No. 137, Reno at No. 156 and North Las Vegas at No. 172.

The best cities for those with disabilities were Scottsdale, Ariz.; Denver; and Minneapolis.

The cities at the bottom of the list were Gulfport, Miss.; Juneau, Alaska; and Jackson, Miss.

Sept. 28: States where the most people lack credit cards

Nevada came in No. 12 in a ranking of the states where the most people lack credit cards, according to travel website Upgraded Points.

More than 420,000 households in Nevada, or about 33.5%, were without credit cards, the study found.

The states with the largest share of households without credit cards were Mississippi at 50.2%, Louisiana with 47.6% and Alabama with 43.5%.

The states at the bottom of the list were New Jersey at 25.5%, South Dakota at 25.6% and Michigan also at 25.6%.