Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 8,789, settled in 1964.
Laughlin earns a D−, better than 3% of U.S. towns, mostly because of incomes and health. The median household income is $46K, and 22% of residents live below the poverty line. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 83% of the country. What it does well: it has 16 miles of trail and 50% conserved land. 38% of residents are 65 or older in Laughlin, where Nevada’s towns sit at 17% and U.S. towns at 18%. No town among the 42 in Nevada we compare has a lower median household income than Laughlin. The biggest park or preserve is Big Bend Conservation Area, at 35 acres.
Where Laughlin beats most towns.
7,323 counted in 2010 and 8,658 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Nevada), ordered by how far Laughlin is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1980 and 2 maps from 1970 on.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Laughlin. Close and well known come first.
3 mi National Recreation AreaLake Mead National Recreation Area6.1M visitors a year
19 mi National PreserveMojave National Preserve570K visitors a year
25 mi National MonumentCastle Mountains National Monument
32 mi MuseumBonelli House
32 mi MuseumMohave Museum of History and ArtsLake Mead National Recreation Area: Andrew Cattoir, Public domain · Mojave National Preserve: InyoCima, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Castle Mountains National Monument: David Lamfrom, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bonelli House: Rayc, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mohave Museum of History and Arts: NearEMPTiness, CC BY-SA 4.0
Laughlin is unincorporated, so Clark County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Laughlin.
Laughlin carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of Nevada (mostly inland flooding), draws workers from Bullhead City and beyond and keeps more of its land conserved than most of Nevada.
Its 5,489 conserved acres are a larger share of the town than in 95% of Nevada towns.
Laughlin’s trail density is 0.9 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area | 3.5 mi | 1,376 |
| 2. Big Bend Conservation Area | 0.7 mi | 35 |
| 3. William Bennett Park | — | 20 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Its public schools are run by the Clark County school district. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Laughlin J-SHS, with 313 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bennett William G ESLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 330 | D |
| Laughlin J-SHSLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 313 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NV on state tests and graduation
5,964 jobs are based in Laughlin, 2.3 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. 27% of working residents cross a state line to work, Bullhead City among the top destinations.
45% of Laughlin’s working residents work right in town. Since 2013, Laughlin has lost 1,537 jobs, to 5,964 in 2023. The average trip to work in Laughlin is 21 minutes.
| Laughlin | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 45% | 16% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 6% | 9% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 98% of Nevada towns, with expected losses of about $341 per resident a year; that rating is what its C− for hazard risk is built on.
Among 42 Nevada towns, just 1 have a lower FEMA risk score than Laughlin. Since 2016, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Laughlin.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Against the 4,256 U.S. towns with household incomes like Laughlin’s, it is healthier than 53%, so its C− isn’t only a matter of income.
20% of adults report frequent physical distress in Laughlin. Of the 42 Nevada towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Laughlin. 28% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Laughlin.
| Laughlin | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 15% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 35% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 16% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 22% | 19% |
| What stands out | Laughlin | NV |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.8% | 15.7% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 13.4% | 15.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 13.2% | 7.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical Laughlin home is worth about $251,000, down 2.9% in a year, 43% below the Nevada typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The Laughlin weather station records that about 173 days a year reach 90°, more than in 99% of U.S. towns. January nights average 44.5°, milder than in 97% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 110°.
Of the 42 Nevada towns we compare, none has a higher July high than Laughlin. Laughlin has warm winters and scorching summers, with very little rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Laughlin | Nevada towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 110°F | 94°F | 85°F |
| January low | 45°F | 25°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
None within 15 miles of Laughlin; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Laughlin residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Nevada.
Where Laughlin’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Unincorporated community in Nevada, US
Laughlin () is an unincorporated community in Clark County, Nevada, United States. Laughlin lies 90 miles (140 km) south of Las Vegas, in the far southern tip of Nevada. As a resort town, it is known for its gaming and water recreation. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,658. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Laughlin as a census-designated place (CDP). It is located on the Colorado River, downstream from the Davis Dam and Lake Mohave, and directly across from the much larger Bullhead City, Arizona. The nearby communities of Bullhead City, Arizona; Needles, California; Fort Mohave, Arizona; and Mohave Valley, Arizona, bring the area's total popul…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Laughlin.
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Laughlin grades D− overall, better than 3% of U.S. towns. It grades C− for health and C for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
That is 3.3 years of the area's median household income ($76,472 across the Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
