Paradise is an
unincorporated town and
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
(CDP) in
Clark County, Nevada
Clark County is the most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Nevada with 2,265,461 residents as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The county is the location of the state's three largest cities, Las Vegas (t ...
, United States, adjacent to the city of
Las Vegas
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
. It was formed on December 8, 1950. Its population was 191,238 at the 2020 census, making it the fifth-most-populous CDP in the United States; if it were an incorporated city, it would be the fifth-largest in Nevada.
As an unincorporated town, it is governed by the
Clark County Commission with input from the Paradise Town Advisory Board.
Paradise contains
Harry Reid International Airport, the
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The campus is about east of the Las Vegas Strip. It was formerly part of the ...
(UNLV), the majority of the
Las Vegas Strip, and most of the tourist attractions in the Las Vegas area (excluding
downtown
''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in American and Canadian English to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ( ...
). However, all Paradise addresses, as well as other unincorporated areas in the
Las Vegas Valley
The Las Vegas Valley is a major metropolitan area in the Southern Nevada, southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada, and the second largest in the Southwestern United States. The state's largest urban agglomeration, the Las Vegas Metropolitan St ...
, have "Las Vegas" addresses.
History
The southern part of the
Las Vegas Valley
The Las Vegas Valley is a major metropolitan area in the Southern Nevada, southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada, and the second largest in the Southwestern United States. The state's largest urban agglomeration, the Las Vegas Metropolitan St ...
was referred to as Paradise Valley as early as 1910, owing to a high
water table
The water table is the upper surface of the phreatic zone or zone of saturation. The zone of saturation is where the pores and fractures of the ground are saturated with groundwater, which may be fresh, saline, or brackish, depending on the loc ...
that made the land particularly fertile for farming. County commissioners established a Paradise school district in 1914.

In 1950, mayor Ernie Cragin of Las Vegas sought to annex the
Las Vegas Strip, which was unincorporated territory, in order to expand the city's tax base to fund his ambitious building agenda and pay down the city's rising debt.
A group of casino executives, led by
Gus Greenbaum of the
Flamingo, lobbied the county commissioners for town status, which would prevent the city from annexing the land without the commission's approval.
The commission voted to create the unincorporated town of Paradise on December 8, 1950.
The town encompassed a strip wide and long, from the southern city limits of Las Vegas to just south of the Flamingo.
The town board initially consisted of five casino managers, chaired by Greenbaum.
A month after its establishment, the town was expanded to include the residential areas of Paradise Valley, giving it a total area of .
Months later, however, it was reported that county officials had determined that the town had not been properly established, because the petition for the town's formation had an insufficient number of signatures and because it had violated a state law forbidding formation of a town spanning multiple school districts.
On August 20, 1951, county commissioners accepted petitions to create two new towns covering the area of the putative town. Town "A" of Paradise included the areas that lay within a Las Vegas school district, extending from the city limits to a point one mile south, while Town "B" included the areas within the Paradise school district.
In 1953, Town A was renamed as
Winchester
Winchester (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs N ...
, and Town B became known simply as Paradise.
In 1975, Nevada enacted a law that would have incorporated Paradise (along with
Sunrise Manor and Winchester) into the City of Las Vegas. Before it could take effect, however, the bill was struck down as unconstitutional by the
Nevada Supreme Court.
MGM Grand fire of 1980
The deadliest fire that occurred in the entire
Las Vegas Valley
The Las Vegas Valley is a major metropolitan area in the Southern Nevada, southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada, and the second largest in the Southwestern United States. The state's largest urban agglomeration, the Las Vegas Metropolitan St ...
was the MGM Grand fire on November 21, 1980. In the early morning hours, a deli counter had an electrical short that resulted in a fire in the walls of the hotel. The
MGM Grand was built to the fire code of 1973, which did not require sprinkler systems, so sprinklers were only installed in the kitchens and theater. The fire traveled in the walls of the hotel damaging the fire alarm system. As the fire burned, toxic smoke entered the ventilation system traveling to the rooms of the hotel. Guests broke windows to get fresh air, while waiting for rescue from firemen. Eighty-five people died in the fire, with two more dying later, bringing the death toll to 87 people. In addition to those who died, nearly 700 people were injured in the fire.
This fire contributed to a widespread change in the requirements for fire safety in hotels.
Las Vegas shooting
On October 1, 2017, the deadliest
mass shooting
A mass shooting is a violent crime in which one or more attackers use a firearm to Gun violence, kill or injure multiple individuals in rapid succession. There is no widely accepted specific definition, and different organizations tracking su ...
in the United States by a lone gunman occurred in Paradise when 64-year-old
Stephen Paddock opened fire on the crowd attending the
Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Strip from his 32nd-floor suite in the
Mandalay Bay hotel. He fired more than 1,000 rounds, killing 60 people and wounding at least 413 others. The ensuing panic brought the total number of injured to approximately 867. About an hour later, he was found dead in his room from a
self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Cybertruck explosion
On January 1, 2025, at approximately 8:39 a.m. (PST), an IED exploded in a
Tesla Cybertruck parked outside the main entrance of the
Trump International Hotel Las Vegas in Paradise. The driver and alleged perpetrator was Matthew Alan Livelsberger, an American-born, active-duty United States Army Special Forces soldier from Colorado Springs, Colorado.
He was on leave from overseas duty and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head immediately before the explosion.
Seven bystanders were injured by the blast.
Authorities found that the vehicle contained firework mortars and gas canisters, which had fueled the explosion and fire. Per a note from Livelsberger's "the explosion was a stunt meant to be a 'wake up call' for the nation’s troubles".
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
(CDP) of Paradise (which may not coincide exactly with the town boundaries) has a total area of , all of it land.
The official town boundaries are bordered by
Desert Inn Road to the north,
Nellis Boulevard to the east,
Sunset Road to the south and
Decatur Boulevard to the west. There is a southern finger between Bermuda Road and
Eastern Avenue south to Silverado Ranch Boulevard. South of
Russell Road, the eastern border stairsteps on a rough 45-degree angle toward the corner of Eastern and Robindale Road, and there is an additional finger surrounding
Interstate 215 east to
St. Rose Parkway.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2020,
there were 191,238 people residing in Paradise. The racial makeup was 42.1%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 13.4%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 1.2%
Native American, 9.8%
Asian, 1.2%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, and 15.1% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino residents made up 33.5% of the population, and 36.6% of the population was
non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...
.
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2010,
there were 223,167 people residing in Paradise. The racial makeup was 59.8%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 10.0%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.8%
Native American, 9.5%
Asian, 1.0%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, and 5.5% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino residents made up 31.2% of the population, and 46.3% of the population was
non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...
.
As of the
census
A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 186,070 people, 77,209 households, and 43,314 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 85,398 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 72.51%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 6.59%
African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.77%
Native American, 6.52%
Asian, 0.59%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 8.37% from
other races, and 4.65% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or
Latino of any race were 23.47% of the population.
In 2020 there were 80,732 households, out of which 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.6% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 29.4% had a female householder with no partner present, and 30.8% had a male householder with no partner present. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
In the CDP, 21.4% was under the age of 19, 7% from 20 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.6 males. For every 100 females age 20 and over, there were 105.4 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $48,032. The median income for a family was $61,743 versus $72,654 for
married couple families. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the CDP was $68,858. 16.8% of the population and 11.8% of families were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
. 15.5% of males were living below the poverty line versus 18.2% of females. 19.3% of families with children under the age of 18 and 5.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Places of interest
*
''Akhob'' by
James Turrell
*
Allegiant Stadium
*
The Art of Richard MacDonald
*
Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
*
Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art
*
Bliss Dance
*
Bodies: The Exhibition
*
High Roller
*
Las Vegas Little Theater
*
Las Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra
*
Liberace Museum
*
Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art
*
Martin Lawrence Galleries
*
National Atomic Testing Museum
*
Nevada Ballet Theatre
*
P3 Art Studio
*
T-Mobile Arena
T-Mobile Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Paradise, Nevada, United States. Opened on April 6, 2016, it is the home arena of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). A joint venture between MGM Resorts International ...
*
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
*
Shark Reef
*
Sphere
A sphere (from Ancient Greek, Greek , ) is a surface (mathematics), surface analogous to the circle, a curve. In solid geometry, a sphere is the Locus (mathematics), set of points that are all at the same distance from a given point in three ...
*
Welcome to Las Vegas sign
Education
The
Clark County School District serves Paradise, as well as the rest of Clark County.
The township is home to the
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The campus is about east of the Las Vegas Strip. It was formerly part of the ...
.
[ (see aircraft symbol for the airport)]
Transportation
Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran International Airport) is in Paradise CDP.
[
Paradise also has multiple casinos connected to the Las Vegas Monorail. The monorail ends at the MGM Grand Monorail Station in Paradise.
Paradise is also served by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada by bus routes both on and off the Las Vegas Strip.
]
Sports
Paradise is home to Las Vegas's three major league sports teams: the Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Golden Knights compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division ...
of the National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL), which play at T-Mobile Arena
T-Mobile Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Paradise, Nevada, United States. Opened on April 6, 2016, it is the home arena of the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). A joint venture between MGM Resorts International ...
, the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL) which play at Allegiant Stadium, and the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA which play at Michelob Ultra Arena. Super Bowl LVIII in 2024 was played at Allegiant Stadium. Paradise will be the future home of the Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB) at a new stadium.
As UNLV is located in Paradise, most of its various teams play in the township. The UNLV Rebels football program plays at Allegiant Stadium, and the Runnin' Rebels and Lady Rebels play at Thomas & Mack Center and in the Cox Pavilion respectively.
Also, since 2004, the Las Vegas Summer League, organized by the National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
(NBA), is played in the Thomas & Mack Center and in the Cox Pavilion. Many NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
College Basketball Tournament conferences are also hosted at the Thomas & Mack Center in March every year.
Since 1985, almost every December the National Finals Rodeo has been held at the Thomas & Mack Center. The one exception was in 2020, when the event was held in Arlington, Texas, at Globe Life Field due to public health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
. The contract extension signed in June 2024 means that the finals will continue to be held at the Thomas & Mack Center until at least 2035.
Paradise has hosted the Formula One
Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
Las Vegas Grand Prix, held on a street circuit including part of the Las Vegas Strip, since 2023.
See also
* Las Vegas Strip
* Las Vegas Valley
The Las Vegas Valley is a major metropolitan area in the Southern Nevada, southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada, and the second largest in the Southwestern United States. The state's largest urban agglomeration, the Las Vegas Metropolitan St ...
* Clark County, Nevada
Clark County is the most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Nevada with 2,265,461 residents as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The county is the location of the state's three largest cities, Las Vegas (t ...
* Las Vegas Monorail
* ''Paradise'' (2013 film)
Notes
References
External links
Paradise Town Advisory Board Homepage
{{Coord, 36, 4, 55, N, 115, 7, 29, W, type:city, display=title
1950 establishments in Nevada
Census-designated places in Clark County, Nevada
Las Vegas Valley
Populated places established in 1950
Unincorporated towns in Nevada