City comparison
Yes. Las Vegas's crime index is 138 versus 350 in New Orleans, and its violent crime index is 122 versus 393, using 2024-2025 FBI data for Las Vegas and 2023 FBI data for New Orleans.
New Orleans is cheaper. Median rent is $1,251 a month versus $1,563 in Las Vegas.
Safety is where Las Vegas and New Orleans split most clearly. Las Vegas scores 212 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,563 in Las Vegas and $1,251 in New Orleans.
This is a genuine split. Las Vegas wins on the job market and safety and New Orleans wins on cost of living. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
The rent gap is real but neighborhoods matter. New Orleans at $1,251 average has pockets that run $1,051 and others at $1,651: your actual number depends on which part of the city you land in.
The move
Las Vegas and New Orleans are 1,509 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,563 a month in Las Vegas to $1,251 a month in New Orleans, down $312 a month (20%).
Median household income goes from $73,877 in Las Vegas to $56,631 in New Orleans, down $17,246 (23%).
The crime index goes from 138 in Las Vegas to 350 in New Orleans, up 212 points (154%).
The move
New Orleans and Las Vegas are 1,509 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,251 a month in New Orleans to $1,563 a month in Las Vegas, up $312 a month (25%).
Median household income goes from $56,631 in New Orleans to $73,877 in Las Vegas, up $17,246 (30%).
The crime index goes from 350 in New Orleans to 138 in Las Vegas, down 212 points (61%).
Las Vegas, NV
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
New Orleans, LA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Las Vegas and New Orleans? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
20% cheaper
New Orleans rent is 20% cheaper than Las Vegas
Las Vegas
$1,563/mo
New Orleans
Winner$1,251/mo
Typical rent runs $1,251 a month in New Orleans versus $1,563 in Las Vegas, so New Orleans is 20% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $3,744, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. New Orleans still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Las Vegas.
Planning to buy in Las Vegas? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
30% higher
Las Vegas's median income is 30% higher than New Orleans
Las Vegas
Winner$73,877
New Orleans
$56,631
Median household income is $73,877 in Las Vegas versus $56,631 in New Orleans, so typical pay runs 30% higher in Las Vegas (about $17,246 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Las Vegas is the stronger labor market on paper. New Orleans can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
61% lower crime
Las Vegas's crime index is 61% lower than New Orleans
Las Vegas
Winner138 (100 = avg)
New Orleans
350 (100 = avg)
Las Vegas's crime index is 138 versus 350 in New Orleans (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 61% lower in Las Vegas. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Las Vegas is the easier city. New Orleans can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Las Vegas and New Orleans are about even on typical weather.
Las Vegas
75°F avg · 80°F highs · comfort 100/100
New Orleans
73°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
Las Vegas averages about 75°F (80°F highs); New Orleans averages about 73°F (81°F highs). Las Vegas sits near 75°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. New Orleans sits near 73°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Las Vegas is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 30% higher here ($73,877). Start with Las Vegas if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Las Vegas is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 61% lower than New Orleans (138 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to New Orleans
New Orleans is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 20% cheaper here at about $1,251 a month. Choose New Orleans if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Bottom line
New Orleans carries the heavier crime signal on this page (22/100 safety vs 50/100 in Las Vegas). That 28-point spread matters more than the $312 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Las Vegas still pays more locally ($73,877 median income vs $56,631), which can offset the lease if your field pays Las Vegas rates.
Median income is $73,877 in Las Vegas versus $56,631 in New Orleans.
Pick Las Vegas when you want the stronger safety signal (50/100). Otherwise, New Orleans's case rests on a New Orleans ZIP you trust at $1,251 rent.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Las Vegas and New Orleans, plus other cities in NV and LA.
