Las Vegas is a city located in Clark County Nevada. Las Vegas has a 2024 population of 665,640. It is also the county seat of Clark County. Las Vegas is currently growing at a rate of 0.71% annually and its population has increased by 2.91% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 646,794 in 2020.
The average household income in Las Vegas is $93,515 with a poverty rate of 14.67%. The median age in Las Vegas is 38.1 years: 37.2 years for males, and 38.8 years for females.
Las Vegas is the most populous city in Nevada and an internationally renowned resort city known for gambling, shopping, fine dining, and its nightlife. Billed as the Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas is quickly transforming into a favorite family and retirement city as well.
The Las Vegas metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million. When most people talk about Las Vegas, they refer to the city as well as areas beyond its city limits, especially the Las Vegas Strip (known for its resorts and casinos) or even the whole Las Vegas Valley.
The 4.2 mile stretch of South Las Vegas Boulevard, or what is known as the Strip, is actually in unincorporated areas of Enterprise, Winchester, and Paradise, not Las Vegas proper.
Based on its population, Las Vegas has a population density of 4,376 people per square mile.
Non-Hispanic whites are still the largest ethnic group in Las Vegas. While their proportion of the city's population has declined (72% in 1990 to under 48% in 2010), their total numbers are still increasing.
Interestingly, Las Vegas is sometimes referred to as the 9th island of Hawaii because so many people from the state have moved to Las Vegas. As the Las Vegas Sun recently reported, about 20% of all Hawaiians have visited Las Vegas in one year, and many stay.
It's also worth noting that Las Vegas has one of the highest marriage (and divorce) rates in the United States. This is because Nevada marriages are easy to get, and it's easier to get a divorce in Nevada than most states in the country. Many people travel from other states to get an easier divorce.
Before the recession, Clark County's population was expected to top 2 million in 2006, but this figure has still not been hit. The county where Las Vegas is located should reach 2.5 million by 2031.
Las Vegas itself is steadily recovering from the recession. It's now the 11th fastest growing metropolitan area, according to Forbes, and it's finally pushing past the plateau it hit during the recession.
The area still has one of the highest foreclosure rates and the largest inventories of vacant homes in the country, but it is attracting new people and new business. The Las Vegas-Paradise metropolitan area is expected to grow from 1.988 million in 2012 to 3.32 million in 2042. This is a 67% increase and one of the largest expected population booms in the United States.
The first European to visit Las Vegas Valley was Raphael Rivera in 1829. The name comes from Spaniards in the Antonio Armijo party, however, who used water in the region before continuing on their path along the Old Spanish Trail.
In 1844, while the area was still part of Mexico, a group of observers and scientists for the US Army Corps of Engineers moved into the Las Vegas Valley. In 1855, after annexation by the US, Brigham Young assigned missionaries of the LDS Church to convert local Paiute Indians to Mormonism.
A fort was built in present-day downtown to serve as a stopping point on the "Mormon Corridor" between San Bernardino, California and Salt Lake. Mormons eventually abandoned Las Vegas in 1857 during the Utah War, and it became a railroad town.
By the early 20th century, Las Vegas was a popular railroad town and a staging point for nearby mines. As railroads were built across the country, the area became less critical, although the construction of the Hoover Dam in 1935 led to some growth in population and tourism.
It was the legalization of gambling in 1931 that led to modern-day Las Vegas and the casino hotels it is now famous for. Developments starting going up, almost completely due to the scientists and staff working on the Manhattan Project, but organized crime figures quickly jumped in to finance and manage most of the large casinos in the beginning.
Las Vegas today is known for its tolerance of many forms of adult entertainment, which earned it the nickname Sin City, and it has become one of the most popular tourist destinations on earth.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Las Vegas was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
White | 335,404 | 52.01% |
Two or more races | 89,665 | 13.91% |
Other race | 87,190 | 13.52% |
Black or African American | 75,806 | 11.76% |
Asian | 44,351 | 6.88% |
Native American | 7,175 | 1.11% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 5,244 | 0.81% |
White
Two or more races
Other race
Black or African American
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 240,462 | 2.65 | 54.8 | 45.2 |
Married | 99,589 | 3.4 | 70 | 30 |
Non Family | 90,654 | 1.29 | 44.1 | 55.9 |
Female | 34,313 | 3.64 | 41.2 | 58.8 |
Male | 15,906 | 3.6 | 50.2 | 49.8 |
3.35
Average Family Size
2.65
Average Household Size
54.8%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 36,052 | 8.16% |
Associates Degree | 35,592 | 8.06% |
Bachelors Degree | 74,450 | 16.86% |
Graduate Degree | 41,814 | 9.47% |
High School Graduate | 120,179 | 27.21% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 27,696 | 6.27% |
Some College | 105,851 | 23.97% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 209,335 | 197,062 | 69,936 |
Hispanic | 125,746 | 84,322 | 15,553 |
Other Race | 51,515 | 31,527 | 5,241 |
Black | 51,005 | 44,926 | 9,617 |
2+ Races | 47,880 | 38,623 | 9,831 |
Asian | 34,881 | 31,981 | 14,994 |
Native American | 4,840 | 3,029 | 402 |
Islander | 3,308 | 3,131 | 760 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 94.65%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 42.99%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $56,445 | $63,842 | $51,134 |
Graduate Degree | $75,721 | $89,724 | $67,633 |
High School Graduate | $35,846 | $40,134 | $31,455 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $32,937 | $35,061 | $28,332 |
Overall | $43,449 | $46,779 | $39,595 |
Some College | $42,903 | $47,439 | $38,076 |
$43,449
Average Earnings
$46,779
Average Male
$39,595
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
66.93% of Las Vegas residents speak only English, while 33.07% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 25.07% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
Hispanic | 219,378 | 38,828 | 17.7% |
White | 261,877 | 25,979 | 9.92% |
Black | 74,009 | 18,833 | 25.45% |
Other | 86,522 | 16,040 | 18.54% |
Multiple | 89,042 | 12,205 | 13.71% |
Asian | 44,186 | 4,930 | 11.16% |
Native | 7,022 | 1,643 | 23.4% |
Islander | 5,140 | 792 | 15.41% |
14.67%
Overall Poverty Rate
13.61%
Male Poverty Rate
15.73%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Las Vegas is Black, with 25.45% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Las Vegas is White, with 9.92% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.85%. Among those working part-time, it was 14.68%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 24.46%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 21.4% |
High School | 16.38% |
Some College | 11.68% |
Bachelors or Greater | 6.56% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Female Unemployed | 28.6% |
Male Unemployed | 28.33% |
Female Employed | 7.07% |
Male Employed | 5.35% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $81,758 | $109,101 |
Households | $66,356 | $93,515 |
Married Families | $97,629 | $129,484 |
Non Families | $42,922 | $62,693 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
42.9%
Overall Marriage Rate
43.9%
Male Marriage Rate
41.9%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
40,559
Number of Veterans
36,097
Male Veterans
4,462
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Vietnam | 11,933 |
Second Gulf War | 10,704 |
First Gulf War | 10,328 |
Korea | 1,978 |
World War II | 765 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
35 to 54 | 11,237 |
75+ | 8,630 |
65 to 74 | 8,408 |
55 to 64 | 8,276 |
18 to 34 | 4,008 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 27,245 | 10.13% |
Black | 5,870 | 10.05% |
Hispanic | 5,621 | 3.72% |
2+ Races | 3,634 | 6.29% |
Other Race | 1,763 | 2.88% |
Asian | 1,532 | 4.07% |
Islander | 268 | 7.14% |
Native American | 247 | 4.26% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
8.93%
Veteran Poverty Rate
30.38%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
62.6%
Labor Force Participation
57.3%
Employment Rate
7.4%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
26.66%
Born in Las Vegas
79.19%
Native Born
20.81%
Foreign Born
10.68%
Non Citizen
10.12%
Naturalized
79.19% of Las Vegas residents were born in the United States, with 26.66% having been born in Nevada. 10.68% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
---|---|---|---|
2029 | 689,198 | 4,711 | 0.69% |
2028 | 684,487 | 4,712 | 0.69% |
2027 | 679,775 | 4,712 | 0.7% |
2026 | 675,063 | 4,711 | 0.7% |
2025 | 670,352 | 4,712 | 0.71% |
2024 | 665,640 | 4,711 | 0.71% |
2023 | 660,929 | 4,738 | 0.72% |
2022 | 656,191 | 5,364 | 0.82% |
2021 | 650,827 | 4,033 | 0.62% |
2020 | 646,794 | -7,169 | -1.1% |
2019 | 653,963 | 9,908 | 1.54% |
2018 | 644,055 | 8,309 | 1.31% |
2017 | 635,746 | 8,794 | 1.4% |
2016 | 626,952 | 9,132 | 1.48% |
2015 | 617,820 | 9,604 | 1.58% |
2014 | 608,216 | 8,477 | 1.41% |
2013 | 599,739 | 6,333 | 1.07% |
2012 | 593,406 | 6,724 | 1.15% |
2011 | 586,682 | 2,082 | 0.36% |
2010 | 584,600 | 0 | 0% |
2000 | 478,434 | 220,139 | 85.23% |
1990 | 258,295 | 93,621 | 56.85% |
1980 | 164,674 | 38,887 | 30.91% |
1970 | 125,787 | 61,382 | 95.31% |
1960 | 64,405 | 39,781 | 161.55% |
1950 | 24,624 | 16,202 | 192.38% |
1940 | 8,422 | 3,257 | 63.06% |
1930 | 5,165 | 2,865 | 124.57% |
1920 | 2,300 | -100 | -4.17% |
1900 | 2,400 | -686,798 | -99.65% |