Five of the Fastest Growing Cities in Nevada in 2016

The western state of Nevada has a total population, in 2016, of almost 3 million, which might not seem very much given its large area of over 110,000 square miles. However, when you consider that it has grown more than 7% in 5 years, you begin to wonder what is going on. In 1990, the population was a little over 1.2 million so it has almost tripled in 16 years. The majority of the population can be found in Las Vegas and Reno whereas the rural areas are much more sparsely populated.

Henderson and northern Las Vegas are among the 20 fastest growing urban areas in the United States with populations over 100,000. Interestingly, it is mainly Hispanics and Asian populations that are feeding the growth, with white Americans reducing as a percentage of the population. Many people move to Nevada from other states and from abroad.

The criteria included in deciding which are the fastest growing cities of the year in Nevada were set by analysts at Wallethub and included: economic growth, unemployment rate decrease, job growth, increase in venture capital investment, population growth, household income growth, poverty rate decrease, increase in number of businesses, house price growth, increase in the ratio of full time to part time jobs and growth in regional GDP per capita. 100 is the maximum score. All of the cities in this particular list can be found within the top 200 fastest growing cities in the entire US, showing just how popular the west is. It might still seem small fry when compared to the southern states, but it is still significant.

1. Enterprise – 57.92

According to the criteria of the Wallethub analysts, Enterprise is the 21st fastest growing city in the country. It is part of the Las Vegas Township and situated in Clark County. The population has grown significantly in recent years. In the 2010 census, it was shown that 108,481 people lived in the city. This had increased from just 14,676 in 2000. At the centre of the city lies the Town Square Mall, which is a major attraction for people. This was previously the location of the Vacation Village hotel and casino. Casinos play a significant part in the local economy, with Silverton and South Point both booming in the town. In terms of larger companies, Allegiant Air has its corporate headquarters located in the city.

2. Las Vegas – 48.58

Las Vegas, often known simply as Vegas, is the most populated city in Nevada and probably the best known around the world. It is situated in Clark County and set within the great Mojave Desert. It is renowned around the world for its gambling, hotel and shopping based economy as well as its nightlife. It is the leading financial center in Nevada but also has important cultural and commercial links, which all help to draw people to settle there. It draws business people from around the world as it styles itself as a leader in the hospitality industry and hosts thousands of business conventions every year.

The city has seen success for many years. Indeed, in 2000 it has become the most populous city in the US, that was founded in the twentieth century. Between 1990 and 2000, the population nearly doubled, with an increase of 85.2%. Rainfall is very scarce in Las Vegas, with just 26 to 27 rainy days per year on average. The summer months can regularly exceed 35 degrees celsius. This all impacts on the need to gather water to feed the relentless growth. This could be a problem in the future. The main drivers of the economy in Las Vegas are gambling, tourism and business hospitality, which all helps to support the secondary retail and catering industries.

City officials have tried to diversify the economy and have put out special requests and incentives for people interested in creating health, high tech and commercial operations. There is for example no state tax for individuals or corporations or any other business taxes. This has certainly helped to fuel growth.

3. Spring Valley – 48.13

Spring Valley is also part of the Las Vegas Township and located in Clark County. It was founded relatively recently, in May 1981 and has grown to have a population of over 200,000. The town mainly consists of housing which is subdivided by malls and large boulevards. There is a large park – Desert Breeze Park – in the north central part of the city. Famous residents include the tennis players Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi as well as the blogger J Son Dinant. The town has a significant ‘Chinatown’ area, which was officially designated as such in October 1999. It has become really popular and draws many Asian people to settle there. Rather than completely Chinese however, it is more ‘pan-Asian’ in nature.

4. Sparks – 47.96

Sparks was founded in 1904 in Washoe County, just to the east of Reno, in the west of the state. The population has almost doubled since 1990. It was then 53,667 and is now around 97,000. The city is connected to southern Reno by a massive road network known as the Southeast Connector. This is a huge feed for population as it has become much easier for people to commute to Reno, and not have to live there.

5. Paradise – 45.21

Paradise is adjacent to Las vegas and found in Clark county. This part of the state is without doubt the fastest growing area as a whole. Paradise is home to some key institutions which have helped to drive growth. These include the University of Nevada, the McCarran International Airport and much of the Las Vegas Strip which is home to lots of hotels and casinos. The town’s population has almost doubled since 1990, from 124,682 to almost 230,000.

There is little doubt that Nevada, particularly the areas surrounding Reno and Las Vegas, will continue to grow rapidly in the coming years. There seems to be a competition between states to attract more migrants and state governments are doing all they can in terms of improving infrastructure and lowering taxes, to draw people in. It is still perhaps not as popular as a state as say, Texas, but it is still a hub for growth.