Carson vs Las Vegas
The short version
- Las Vegas is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 12% lower than in the Carson area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $427,900 in Las Vegas and $704,400 in Carson.
- Households earn more in Carson ($108,703 vs $73,877 median).
- Carson has the warmer winter: January highs of 67°F vs 59°F.
- Las Vegas has more scorching days: 137 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 6.
- Las Vegas is growing faster: +5.3% since 2020 vs -5%.
- Nevada has no state income tax on wages; California's top rate is 13.3%.
Side by side
| Carson, CA | Las Vegas, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 90,808 | 679,817 |
| Growth since 2020 | -5% | +5.3% |
| People per square mile | 4,848 | 4,792 |
| Median age | 41.7 | 38.6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29% | 28% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $108,703 | $73,877 |
| Median home value | $704,400 | $427,900 |
| Home value to income | 6.5× | 5.8× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,956 | $1,563 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 113.6 | 100.2 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 170.4 | 115.5 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $85,200 | $75,200 |
| Homeowners | 74% | 57% |
| Top state income tax | 13.3% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 9.03% | 8.24% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 27.5 | 25.7 |
| Work from home | 9% | 12% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 7.8% | 7.4% |
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 14% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 67° / 47° | 59° / 41° |
| July high / low | 77° / 62° | 105° / 82° |
| Precipitation per year | 14 in | 4 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 6 | 137 |
| Nights below freezing | 0 | 10 |
| Comfortable months | 12 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 100.0 | 99.6 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 11% | 31% |
| Home prices, past year | +1.2% | +2.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +31.9% | +41.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Carson: January to December. Las Vegas: February to April and October to November.
Full monthly tables: Carson weather by month and Las Vegas weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $85,200 in Carson and $75,200 in Las Vegas. Moving from Carson to Las Vegas, you would need about $66,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Carson and Las Vegas
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Carson and Las Vegas.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.