U.S. News and World Report used factors such as quality of life, job markets, cost of living and desirability to determine the best cities to live in. These categories include metrics like crime rates, air quality, migration trends and surveys.
Using data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Census Bureau and internal sourcing the U.S. News and World Report ranked the top 150 cities to live in.
You can learn more about U.S. News and World Report’s methodology for this ranking here.
Here’s how Nevada cities ranked, the top 10 cities and the top 10 in the West:
Is Reno a good place to live?
Reno ranked 47th in U.S. News’ list of the 150 best cities to live in. Of the cities within the Western U.S., Reno ranked 10th. This is a similar ranking Reno received in U.S. News’ report on the “Best Places to Retire.”
The similar positions could be attributed to the factors determining the ranking for the “Best Places to Live” being largely the same as the factors ranking the best retirement cities. The main differences between the two methodologies are that tax benefits for retirees and proximity to healthcare are included in the retirement cities’ rankings.
Reno’s outdoor recreation, family-oriented areas, schools and job market compared to other areas may have contributed to its upper-third ranking. However, Reno also had a higher rate of violent and property crimes compared to other cities, which could be attributed to the Biggest Little City’s population size. U.S. News noted Reno has a similar crime rate to metros of comparable size.
Though the cost of living has risen significantly in Reno since the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. News reported the Biggest Little City offers better value compared to similarly sized cities when comparing average household income to average costs. However, U.S. News acknowledged that cost of living varies widely across the Reno region. It used the contrast between living in downtown Reno and residing near Lake Tahoe as an example.
Is Las Vegas a good place to live?
Las Vegas ranked 92nd on the list of best cities to live in the U.S. It was ranked 16th when compared only to other cities in the West. Similar to Reno, U.S. News reported a plethora of things to do and good schools, both of which likely contributed to Las Vegas escaping a lower-third ranking.
Also similar to the Biggest Little City, U.S. News reported a better value in cost of living compared to similarly sized cities. However, both Las Vegas and Reno are well above the 2024 national average for housing costs.
Though Las Vegas has a crime rate higher than the national average, it was determined by U.S. News to be lower than metros of a comparable size.
Las Vegas’ job market, which U.S. News deemed “less healthy” than other similarly sized cities, could be a significant factor in why Las Vegas ranked so much lower than Reno.
The best cities to live in the West
- Boise, ID
- Boulder, CO
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Fort Collins, CO
- Denver, CO
- Portland, OR
- San Diego, CA
- Reno, NV
