I lived there for 16 years, moved Back to TX last year.

First, I cannot imagine what you are comparing rental prices to, but they are not low in Las Vegas.
Houses to buy, whether new construction or existing houses are also VERY expensive. We moved because we sold our 1953 (year built) house in a very nice but modest neighborhood, mostly hispanic, for three times what we paid for it. It was very close to downtown and close to the concentration of those elements you don’t like. These houses are the lowest priced available and for many are in an undesireable location. When we sold, our house at very near 200,000 dollars was as cheap as you could buy a decent house of 1200 sq ft any where in the city. Anything costing less would be a destroyed house with crack squatters living in it.

As far as living there, the culture is very different and employers have NO employee regard. The reason is because there are plenty of people anxious to take your job if you don’t like something.

If you can let all this roll off you, and we could, living there is fun. You can have a real good time just people watching on the strip or downtown. You must use good judgement if you are g oing to gamble, set your limit and stick to it! Remember you are not going to get rich gambling. We called the sale of our house our jackpot!

There are many fun things t o do around Las Vegas, Lake Meade, Mt Charleston, you are very near Zion National Park in Utah, very near California, 5hours to LA,

Out in the suburbs life for your children would be fairly normal if you can afford to buy or rent there, check out Green Valley, for starters.

If you go there, the best to you, enjoy it and keep your good judgement!

You may e-mail me if you have more specific questions.

Your fear is a bit off in some parts but I know for you it is real. Las Vegas , like any city has it´s LOW LIFE’S, as you put it. It also has very nice family resorts and more. My parents live there, they moved from San Francisco and they love it. Separation from evil things, not in this world.