Moving To Las Vegas From Southern California
There are a lot of Angelinos living in Las Vegas. The move is a natural one. After all, Vegas and Southern California have a lot in common and are practically next door neighbors. While the majority of people moving from one state to another will cite job opportunities as the main factor, those moving from Southern California have even more motivations. Yes, SoCal has its sunshine and beaches, but it also has endless traffic congestion and high housing costs. So in recent years, statistics (and many lifestyle experts) are noting an abundance of people making the move from SoCal to Las Vegas.
If you’re thinking about making a move to Las Vegas, the transition may be easier than you think. As a locally-based Las Vegas mover who moves a lot of Southern Californians into Las Vegas, we hear a lot about the reasons people make the move. Here are a few of them.
SoCal and Vegas Lifestyles are a Lot Alike
Despite being in two different states, one inland and one by the sea, Las Vegas and Southern California are very much alike. Laid-back, fun-loving, trendy and totally cool, they are both bustling and busy regions where there are lots of opportunities for starting over for anyone ready to make the move. Built as a free-wheeling, 24/7 anything-goes escape, Las Vegas has always attracted Southern Californians looking for a weekend of fun.
According to the LA Times, Las Vegas is one of the most popular destinations for those who leave California. It’s close, it’s a job center, and the cost of living is much cheaper, with plenty of brand-new houses going for between $200,000 and $300,000.
Las Vegas has been built from the desert to meet not only the entertainment needs of its millions of tourists, but to provide all the services and amenities that its growing residential population need. There are plenty of jobs, not only in hospitality, but in healthcare, education and a growing number of commercial businesses. Housing developments like Many Southern Californians are pleased to find their driving times permanently slashed, giving them more free time. Of course, they can fill that time with world class entertainment on the nearby Las Vegas Strip if they want to, or enjoy the neighborhood movie houses and “locals” casinos.
With such a big neighbor, Las Vegas has long benefited from the talents of home builders, restauranteurs and business entrepreneurs who got their start in SoCal and expanded to Las Vegas. Most Southern Californians will recognize the look and feel of California-style housing tracts that spread for miles over the Las Vegas Valley, providing homes and neighborhoods for a growing population. Many areas are built with residents needs at the core of design. Summerlin, the Hughes Corporations major development project that hugs the western mountains of Las Vegas Valley, has been carefully laid out to provide a variety of homes and lifestyles, as well as shopping, services, workspaces and even golf courses residents need within a short drive of home.
In true Southern California style, some of the developments are on golf courses and some even have their own artificial water features including docks and boating.
A Look at Differences Between SoCal and Vegas
Los Angeles is a huge, bustling metropolis, with miles of freeway and housing tracts that seem to stretch endlessly along the coast and inland to the San Fernando Valley. Compared to busy SoCal, Vegas is an oasis of relative calm and affordability. It has lower housing costs and manageable traffic, a pleasantly boring climate (basically hot, then cold with sprinklings of “just right” in the spring and fall), along with a 24/7 lifestyle if you want it, or a quiet suburban life if you prefer that.
It’s worth saying again, though Vegas is a desert and summer heat is intense (triple digits) from about May to September. Southern California has many hot days, so most who make the move to Vegas adapt well to the heat (hint: don’t take your run at noon!), and after a couple of summers, hardly notice it anymore. Overall, thanks in part to being a valley and far inland, expect calmer weather in Vegas as compared to SoCal that’s been really slammed lately with rain, wind and mudslides. And the devastating wildfires in California don’t really happen in Southern Nevada since there’s much less vegetation in the desert to burn.
Overall, Las Vegas normally experiences very little in the way of natural disasters. While it is earthquake country, big quakes have been rare compared to California which has bigger and more active faults. Although flooding is a natural process in the Las Vegas Valley, the area has a very good flood control system that usually keeps it in check – and these systems also double as part of a great park system. The area boasts a long list of regional and neighborhood parks, some including swimming pools, recreational facilities, and sports complexes.
Affordable housing is often cited as the number one reason why Southern Californians are moving out. SoCal’s housing costs and housing shortage stress renters and homeowners. What they are finding is housing that is about half the price of SoCal and with good availability in an ever expanding Las Vegas Valley. Rents are also much cheaper in Las Vegas. Rental prices in Los Angeles are 129.34% higher than Vegas, and consumers have over 25% less purchasing power.
Nevada has no state income tax which is a welcome savings of time and money for tax-stressed Californians. It’s also very business-friendly, if you are so inclined. Nevada regulations are light and doing administrative business simple and fast. Working from home is a popular option for some. Out of state employers who allow telecommuting find it easy to set up in Nevada when compared to California. Employment options are increasing, Nevada had the fastest private-sector job growth in the United States at 3.6 percent in the first quarter of 2017.
Las Vegas Is Still Close to Home
Our So Cal moving clients have told us they’re looking for a bit of space, less traffic and a lower cost of living, but without totally leaving the SoCal lifestyle behind. One of the great things about moving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is that you may change states, but you will still have very quick access to SoCal in a few hours for beaches, family, and friends. The California state line is only a 40 minute drive from Vegas for the really homesick. Many local Las Vegans plan regular getaway weekends in San Diego or Santa Barbara, the way Angelinos plan weekends in Vegas.
Speaking of travel, you certainly won’t miss the freeway gridlocks and off-ramp bottlenecks. The most likely place to experience bumper to bumper traffic in Vegas is when driving down the Strip – a benefit for sightseeing and people watching. Of course freeway backups happen in Vegas, usually at a couple of predictable spots and times, but their size and duration can’t even come close to those in Los Angeles, so we won’t try to compare them. Just enjoy the easy, leisurely driving in most parts of town.
Move 4 Less Knows Vegas: Local Las Vegas Mover for your SoCal to Vegas Move
For Southern Californians contemplating a move to Vegas, there are many reasons to give it a try. When you’re ready, Move 4 Less is a Vegas-based, locally owned moving company. We offer fast, affordable moves to/from SoCal. With our frequent trips into and out of California, we can arrange to move your belongings quickly and very affordably in either direction. We pride ourselves on great service, and we know both areas well. Let us help you make the smart move to Vegas.
