Homelessness in Sin City

Las Vegas, often referred to as the Sin City, is famous for its casinos, vibrant nightlife, and extravagant experiences. After a recent visit to the city myself, I couldn’t help to notice the large homeless population, either begging with signs asking for tourists to buy them “another drink” or simply minding their own business. Lets take a deeper look into the homeless population of Las Vegas, and see the reasons behind this issue.

Las Vegas has 6,490 homeless people

Ranking 11th in the nation by population, Las Vegas has on average 6490 individuals and families who do not have a home or a steady shelter at night. In addition, Las Vegas has approximately 111 homeless families, including 2,052 children and youth. With a homeless rate of 1200 per 100,000 Las Vegas has a significantly larger homelessness rate than Los Angeles, with a rate of around 700 per 100,000, despite having a smaller population. But why is this?

Why

Las Vegas has a notably large homelessness population due to a combination of factors, with many being strictly unique to the desert city.

The most obvious reason has to lie with Las Vegas’s drug problem. Enter any casino in the city, and it doesn’t take long for the air to become filled with cigar smoke. In addition to smoking, other addictive drugs are known to be illegally sold in Sin City, that can lead to addictions, homelessness, and sometimes death.

Adding on to addictions, gambling addictions plague the city, leaving many hopeful for a jackpot broke at the end of the day. This cycle of chasing losses can lead individuals to make desperate choices, oftentimes exacerbating their financial instability. In the face of bright lights and potential winnings, many overshadow the risk of losing everything.

In sum, many in Las Vegas can find themselves in a financially troubled situation given the unique environment of the Sin City that lead to its high rate of homelessness.