Henderson Nevada is a neatly planned and cared-for town next door to Las Vegas.
People may like or dislike Henderson for some of the same reasons.
Being next door to Las Vegas could easily be seen as both a positive and a negative.
The city is also a bit expensive compared to the general area.
There is some excitement available, but you can easily escape back to Henderson to relax.
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Pros of Living in Henderson, NV
1. Quality of Life
Henderson is, for the most part, a planned community.
It was planned for the benefit of the citizens in as many ways as possible.
Streets are well laid out in a grid, and they are kept clean.
There is easy access to a lot of recreational areas, parks, and outdoor spaces.
There are 40 gated neighborhoods that add an extra level of security.
2. Culture
The city of Henderson has a rich arts and culture scene.
There are many galleries, and you could even show your own art at one of them.
There is a famous Arts Festival in Henderson, which brings in artists from many areas.
In addition to visual arts, there are often live theater performances to see or to participate in.
The city also has a plethora of nice restaurants of all kinds.
3. Las Vegas
In Henderson, you are only 20 miles from the famous Las Vegas strip, with world-class gambling, world-class shows, and all the rest that makes it popular.
You can go over there any time you like.
When family visits, it’s easy to send them off to the strip.
The cool thing is, when you get tired of Vegas, you have peaceful quiet Henderson to return to.
4. The Weather
It does get terribly hot in summer, but there is no winter to contend with.
Days are almost always warm and sunny, even in winter.
There are more than 300 days of sunshine each year.
There is an average of four or five inches of rain each year, so it hardly ever rains and never snows.
You may not even need to own a jacket.
You can plan any activity you like, with little concern over what the weather will be like.
5. Great Outdoors Fun
The city itself has enough parks and trails to keep people busy, but just outside Henderson, there are a lot of outdoor adventures to enjoy.
Lake Mead is just to the east, and there is a lovely lakeside drive to enjoy.
There are several parks, and even wetlands, in the immediate area.
Golf courses are everywhere.
There are many trails for hiking, biking, or horseback riding, and some are way out in the wilderness.
6. Low Crime
There is not a lot of crime in Henderson, but there is some crime everywhere.
In Henderson, there are 2.4 violent crimes per 1,000 people, which is well below the national rate of 4.0.
There is more violent crime in Nevada in general as the state rate is 4.3 per 1,000.
Property crime, like theft, is closer to the national average, but still lower.
It is 17.4 per 1,000 in Henderson, and the national average is 19.
Property crime is below the state average of 23 property crimes per 1,000 people.
7. Gated Communities
Some see these as bad things, but there are several gated communities that mostly have retired people living in them.
There is an added level of security because there are gates, and only residents or other approved people are allowed in.
These communities often have all the amenities you need, such as golf courses, pools, and other recreational options.
It is a chance to create a small community, but it does isolate you from the real world to some extent.
8. Growing City
Henderson was almost relegated to surplus military land after World War 2, and in 1950 had just 3,600 people.
Taking advantage of Las Vegas tourism, which has grown exponentially since then.
Today it has an estimated 320,000 people and is the second-largest city in the state.
In 1990, it had 64,000 people and grew by more than 150 percent in each of the following two decades.
Cons of Living in Henderson, NV
1. Hot Summers
There is a lot to like about the weather in Henderson, but the summers are unbearable if you don’t like heat.
This is in the desert.
It is very dry and it rarely rains.
Dry heat is still hot, but the humidity is very low which can help with how hot it feels.
You can still get dehydrated pretty quickly in the heat of summer.
There are only two seasons, hot and not quite as hot.
Most people have air conditioning, so it is bearable, but it is something to be aware of if you want to move there.
2. Las Vegas
Las Vegas is both a positive and a negative.
Some of the more seedy aspects of Vegas slide over to Henderson at times.
Vegas has about all the entertainment you could stand.
The downside of that is most of the entertainment is in Vegas, and not in Henderson.
Traffic from Vegas also overflows into Henderson, making getting around a little hard at times.
It could be argued that without Vegas there would be no Henderson, but it remains both a positive and a negative.
3. Growing Pains
Henderson has had rapid growth since its foundation in the 50s, and to some extent, people have learned to live with that.
Even so, expansion is hard as far as infrastructure goes.
There seems to always be road construction, and housing construction as well.
This can impede traffic and is a blight on the landscape until the construction is finished.
The constant growth also makes taxes stay higher to meet the needs of growth.
4. Higher Cost of Living
Henderson is an upscale city with a lot of wealthy retirees.
Because of that perhaps, the cost of living is significantly higher.
The overall cost of living is 13 percent above the national average and is six percent more expensive than in Las Vegas.
Housing is the biggest expense, at 40 percent higher than the national average, and 19 percent more expensive than Las Vegas.
People who work here in the service industry often cannot afford to live here.
5. Traffic
Henderson is not an old city, and it was laid out in a grid that should help traffic.
There is too much of it, however.
Some of that is due to Vegas being so close, and some is due to the general crowding of Henderson itself.
The city continues to grow fast as well, which creates the need for more road construction, which also impedes traffic.
Most people drive their own cars, so the roads can be crowded any time of year.
Give yourself plenty of time to get anywhere when driving in Henderson.
6. Water
Henderson is in the desert, so it depends on Lake Mead for its water.
A long drought, and climate change, have caused Lake Mead’s water level to fall.
That has resulted in the government limiting how much water can be drawn from the lake.
The city is taking some extreme water precautions.
It is not rationing water yet, but that day could be coming.
Lake Mead was created by damming the Colorado River which provides water for a large part of several states.
It is not a crisis yet, but be aware that it is a growing issue.
7. Higher Taxes
Sales tax in Henderson is 8.4 percent, which is a combination of state, county, and city taxes.
That can be a big deal when making a major purchase, such as a car or a large household appliance.
It can also eat away at your budget over time.
Nevada does not have a personal income tax, but does have a corporate tax which can affect you if you own a business.
There is also property tax, which is not a lot more than anywhere else.
It can be an issue if your house goes up in value fast.
8. Older Population
Henderson had become more popular for retirees because of the warm weather and available outdoor activities.
Almost 20 percent of the population is over age 65, but it is not clear how many of them are retired.
About 80 percent of the population is over 18, meaning the city in general is older than a lot of cities.
This tends to make Henderson a more conservative city than Las Vegas or other major cities.
The city itself is young, but an older population may lend itself to less forward-thinking.
Pros and Cons of Living in Henderson, NV – Summary Table
| Pros of Living in Henderson, NV | Cons of Living in Henderson, NV |
|---|---|
| 1. Quality of Life | 1. Hot Summers |
| 2. Culture | 2. Las Vegas |
| 3. Las Vegas | 3. Growing Pains |
| 4. The Weather | 4. Higher Cost of Living |
| 5. Great Outdoors Fun | 5. Traffic |
| 6. Low Crime | 6. Water |
| 7. Gated Communities | 7. Higher Taxes |
| 8. Growing City | 8. Older Population |
Henderson Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Henderson Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
- TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
- SCAMS RISK: HIGH
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Henderson called Nevada's Green City?
It has excellent air quality.
There are not many factories that pollute the air.
The dry desert atmosphere also helps purify the air and keeps a lot of allergens at a low level.
You can breathe freely in Henderson.
What is Henderson famous for?
Before and during World War II, Henderson was a major supplier of Magnesium.
After the war, it was not needed as much and the town almost faded away.
It became a city in the late 1950s, and in the early 60s had around 3,000 people.
Why is Henderson considered one of the best places to live?
Money Magazine, as well as some other sources, have named Henderson as one of the top 10 places to live in America.
Money named them No. 1 in 2019.
Henderson has 66 parks and many miles of trails for hiking or biking.
The city scores high in civics, education, economy, demographics, and healthcare.
The only area it does not score high on is housing and infrastructure because of rapid growth.
How many people are below the poverty level, or unemployed?
The poverty level, or those living under the level of poverty, is 7.7 percent, which is about half the national average of 13 percent.
Those who do struggle have a hard time finding a place to live because of the costs.
Unemployment is around seven percent, which is nearly double the national average, but the city is projecting a better future in this area.
Is there a homeless problem in Henderson?
It is an affluent community, but there have been more homeless people spotted in recent times.
The city has responded by making it illegal to sleep on the streets, thus making homelessness illegal.
The city is taking measures, however, to help homeless people even as it does not allow them to build camps and so forth.
I have been living in Henderson for almost 3 years now, renting an apartment and planning to buy a house soon. It’s a good place to call home, a lot of jobs available and the people are very polite.