Officially known as the Silver State because of the importance of silver in its early economy, today Nevada is better known as the home of Las Vegas, and a state where gambling is legal. Nevada isn’t only about gambling – it has some beautiful scenery; from the arid deserts, to the mountains of the Sierra Nevada and the scenic Lake Tahoe, and of course it’s a very popular tourist destination with visitors from around the world. In a place where gambling is legalized you may expect crime to be a problem; in fact the crime index for Nevada is 15 percent below the national average. The top 10 largest cities in Nevada are ranked here according to their crime levels…
1. Boulder City, NV
If you want to enjoy life in a Nevadan city where crime really isn’t a big problem that would be Boulder City; the safest city in Nevada! The crime index here is 61 percent below the state average, at 1,036, and despite being just 20 miles from Las Vegas this is one of two cities in Nevada that prohibits gambling! Boulder City was built to house the workers on the nearby Hoover Dam.
2. Mesquite, NV
Mesquite is growing in popularity as a retirement destination, so maybe that’s why it’s the second safest city in Nevada! Set next to the Arizona state line in the south of Nevada, Mesquite has a population around 15,500 people. The crime index is 32 percent below state average, at 1,811.
3. Henderson, NV
The second largest city in Nevada is Henderson, and with a crime index of 2,058 – 22 percent below state average – it is the third safest city in Nevada. Henderson is within the Las Vegas metro area yet has everything residents need so remains independent from the larger city.
4. Carson City, Nevada
The capital of Nevada is Carson City, and it’s the fourth safest place to live in the state. Carson City is about 30 miles south of Reno and the city limits actually extend to the shores of Lake Tahoe, on the California state line. The crime index is 2,561, and that’s 4 percent below state average.
5. Fernley, Nevada
Fernley is home to around 20,000 people so it’s a relatively small city yet it’s home to an Amazon.com fulfillment center that employs plenty of locals. The Reno-Fernley Raceway is also here. The crime index for Fernley is 3 percent below state average, at 2,569.
6. Sparks
Just east of Reno is the city of Sparks, named for the governor of Nevada, John Sparks, in 1905. Sparks is the sixth safest city in Nevada and has a crime index of 3,001 which is 12 percent above state average.
7. North Las Vegas
As the name suggests, the city of North Las Vegas is just north of Las Vegas itself but often considered part of the whole Vegas resort area. Even so, North Las Vegas is not as busy as its southern neighbor and has a lower crime rate. The crime index of 3,151 is 18 percent above state average.
8. Reno
Nicknamed The Biggest Little City in the World, Reno is like a smaller cousin to Las Vegas; bright lights, casinos, and all! Reno is the third largest city in Nevada, and the eighth safest. The crime index is 26 percent above state average, at 3,372.
9. Las Vegas
You may be surprised to hear that Las Vegas is not the worst big city in Nevada for crime – it comes in as the ninth safest with a crime index of 3,582, which is 34 percent above state average. Yes, Las Vegas does have crime, but Sin City isn’t as bad as you might think! Vegas is the largest city in Nevada, by the way, home to around 590,000 people, and it’s one of the world’s top tourist destinations.
10. Elko
The bottom spot goes to Elko, a small city in the northeast of Nevada that’s home to less than 20,000 people. Elko is the un-safest out of the top 10 largest cities in the state – the crime index is 46 percent above state average, at 3,908.
Image Sources: Wikipedia
