Move to Liberty: The Case for Nevada

CATO annually ranks all fifty US states in terms of freedom. Nevada has ranked among the top five states for over twenty years and is currently in 4th place, following South Dakota (#3), Florida (#2) and top-ranked (#1) New Hampshire.

Anyone looking for a better life in a freer place should look closely at this state.

What’s so free about Nevada?

Nevada ranks high in liberty largely for two reasons: 1) a strong libertarian attitude about personal liberty — it ranks #1 in that regard, and has for 22 years — and 2) it has no personal income tax or corporate income tax.

Nevada was the first state to legalize gambling and it’s the only state with a century of continuous legalized gambling. It’s also the only state in the US with legalized prostitution. Marijuana is also legal and drug arrests are generally low. It’s one of the top states for alcohol freedom. This freewheeling attitude about personal liberty is likely to stay as it has become foundational to the state’s economy, particularly with regard to Las Vegas, where most of the state’s population resides.

However, on other personal liberty issues such as gun rights and educational freedom Nevada is just average, though open carry is extensive and it does have a broad tax-credit scholarship.

In terms of economic freedom, Nevada ranks #8. That mostly reflects it’s low tax environment; otherwise, state policy toward private business is just middling.

One additional plus: the size of the Nevada state government relative to population is markedly low compared to other states. Smaller governments tend to be less interventionist simply because they don’t have the resources for it, so that’s another indication that this is a relatively free place to live.

In other respects, is Nevada a good state to live in?

If you’re looking for a place to have fun, yes it is. Las Vegas offers every sensation you can imagine, from gambling, to live entertainment, to conferences and trade shows of every kind. And that includes the annual FreedomFest, the world’s largest pro-liberty gathering which also includes the Anthem (Libertarian) Film Festival.

Additionally, if you enjoy the outdoors, much of the state still has a rugged Western vibe, with plenty of opportunities for hiking and exploring local history.

All that said, Nevada as a whole is not highly ranked overall among US states for quality of life, scoring #33 (out of the 50 states) from USNews, #37 from DataPandas, and #40 from WalletHub. Of course, within any state there are better areas and less desirable areas, so you just need to do your research.

You can find lists of the better areas within Nevada at RedFin, Niche, Livability, and Moving. For what it’s worth, there were five cities that these lists had (mostly) in common: Reno, Henderson, Paradise, Sparks, and Las Vegas. A more granular way to find not just good cities but good specific neighborhoods within cities is Niche.

Nevada is the third sunniest state in the US, with 158 sunny days per year. Temperatures are moderate, with an annual average high of 65 degrees (ranking it #22 out of fifty states) and an average annual low of 37 degrees (ranking it #33). Nevada is also the driest state in the country, with only 10 inches of rain per year.

How does it compare to other free states?

The three states that rank higher than Nevada in overall liberty are New Hampshire, Florida, and South Dakota.

On the question of liberty alone New Hampshire is inescapably #1. The structure of New Hampshire’s state government and the character of the population, combined with the most active state libertarian group in the country — by far — makes it pretty unbeatable in that regard.

Florida ranks #2 in freedom, per Cato, and has some of the best weather in the country. Additionally, the state has benefited from a wave of incoming red voters and now is on very solid ground in terms of retaining its liberties.

South Dakota ranks #3 and stands out as a freedom bargain — it’s the only state in the US that ranks in the top ten for both liberty and affordability. Combined with superior schools and low crime, the state is highly desirable for families.

Recommended video: a summary of Nevada’s advantages

This is a pretty fair read on the state, offering ten good reasons to move there.