President John F. Kennedy once said of the City of Henderson that it was a "city of destiny." With Henderson’s master-planned residential areas, new roads, incredible parks, golf courses, and schools, the former president’s vision is becoming an actuality. In 2006, the city was named one of America’s top 20 places to live by Money magazine. It has also been rated one of the “safest cities in America”.
The City of Henderson was officially incorporated on April 16, 1953. Originally about 13 square miles in size, today the city has grown to about 103 square miles and is the second largest city in Nevada. The city's official slogan "Henderson—a Place to Call Home" reflects a community with great small-town values while benefiting from the efficiencies of the big city.
An increasing number of shopping malls, movie theaters, and restaurants provide Henderson residents with greater choices for recreation and leisure. Shakespeare in the Park in Henderson celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2006, and the Multigenerational Facility at Liberty Pointe in Henderson is Nevada’s largest recreational facility. Many cultural events are held at the outdoor amphitheater, which is the largest one of its kind in the state.
Location
Henderson is a beautiful city in Clark County, which is only five miles southeast of Las Vegas. It is separated from Lake Mead National Recreation Area, one of the greatest recreation areas in the country, by mountains and desert and is only a few miles away from this oasis.
Henderson is also very conveniently located just a few miles from McCarran International Airport and the Henderson Executive Airport. With the recent completion of I-215 into Henderson, the City is extremely accessible.
Weather
Henderson has truly beautiful weather! During the summer, it's hot and dry, as it is during most of the spring and fall. The hottest months can be July and August, but temperatures can still be above 100 degrees in June and September. However, the low humidity of the area makes the weather okay for most folks.
In January and February it isn’t uncommon for temperatures to average in the 50s during the day, and it’s rare for snow to fall. The perfect time to take in the sights or hit the golf courses is in the spring or fall.
Districts and Areas
Because Henderson is such a wonderful place to live, it has been rapidly growing. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of 31.60 percent, with the population today being estimated at 231,157.
Henderson’s ever-growing population is divided into two district areas. A good deal of the commercial and residential development is taking place in Green Valley, an upscale, master-planned community. Most locals refer to the Green Valley area as a separate area from Henderson.
Other master-planned residential areas include Anthem, Anthem Country Club, Black Mountain Vistas, Calico Ridge, Champion Village, Green Valley Ranch, Inspirada, Lake Las Vegas, MacDonald Highlands, MacDonald Ranch, Madeira Canyon, Seven Hills, Sun City Anthem, Sun City MacDonald Ranch, Tuscany, and Whitney Ranch.
Attractions
Henderson offers more parks and recreation centers per capita than any other city in Nevada! The city-owned Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve is home to more than 200 species of birds and is an enjoyable way for residents and visitors alike to learn about birds. The Ethel M Botanical Cactus Gardens are fabulous botanical gardens located at the Ethel M Chocolate Factory. The Gardens contain more than 350 cactus and succulent species, forming one of the largest such collections in the United States.
Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa, and Casino offers 8 restaurants, a 50,000 square foot casino, The Spa at Green Valley Ranch, and 490 guest rooms. The District at Green Valley Ranch includes retail stores on the first level and luxury condominiums on the upper levels.
Among the other wonderful attractions in Henderson are the Clark County Museum, Fiesta Henderson, Henderson Pavilion, Black Mountain Recreation Center, Art Emporium, Galleria at Sunset, Sunset Station Hotel and Casino, Veteran's Wall, Acacia Demonstration Gardens, and the best kept secret in Las Vegas: Lake Las Vegas Resort, a 320-acre man-made lake surrounded by a $3.8 billion resort and residential community only 17 miles from the Las Vegas strip.
Nearby points of interest include the following treasures:
Lake Mead National Recreation Area is the largest man-made lake in the world, extending 110 miles up from Hoover Dam. The area is about 1.5 million acres, and it attracts over 8 million visitors a year for boating, fishing, swimming, and camping.
Hoover Dam, located 40 miles southeast of Las Vegas on U.S. 93, was built in the 1930s. It turned the waters of the Colorado River into the still waters of Lake Mead. Go on a guided tour any day of the year!
Mount Charleston is located 45 miles northwest of Las Vegas, among 300,000 acres of forestland in the Las Vegas Ranger District. Here you will find 52 miles of hiking trails, 160 picnic spots, and 150 campsites, horseback riding, and skiing.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area provides incredible hiking and rock climbing opportunities—some of the best climbing in America. Red Rock Canyon is located on the western edge of the Las Vegas city limits, and because of the area’s great weather, climbing is possible year around. Beautiful rock formations and scenery attract thousands of bicycle enthusiasts to the 13-mile loop road that winds along the western border of the Las Vegas Valley. The area is home to the historic Spring Mountain Ranch, a 520-acre oasis. There is also a scenic drive through Red Rock canyon, which takes about 30 minutes to complete.
Valley of Fire State Park is a 56,000-acre wilderness area that features extraordinary rock formations and Native American petroglyphs. A great place to camp.
Death Valley National Park, the lowest elevation point in the Western Hemisphere, offers breathtaking landscapes.
Golf
For the golf enthusiast, there are many beautiful golf courses to be found in and around Henderson.
Revere at Anthem
2600 Hampton Road
702-259-4653/877-278-8373
A lush course with beautiful views of the Las Vegas skyline. Named by Golf Magazine one of “Top New Courses You Can Play”.
Desert Willow Golf Club
2020 W. Horizon Ridge Parkway
702-263-4653
Designed by Billy Casper and architect Greg Nash, this course is tucked into the Black Mountain range and offers wonderful views of the valley.
Anthem Country Club
One Clubside Drive
702-614-5050
This course was built at an elevation of 3,000 feet and weaves through the desert, with many holes played through canyons and highlighted by waterfalls and beautiful landscaping.
Black Mountain Golf & Country Club
500 Greenway Road
702-565-7933
One of the oldest courses in the area.
Dragonridge Golf Club
1700 W Horizon Ridge Parkway
702-614-4444/877-855-1505
Championship course designed by architect Jay Morrish with Dave Druzisky.
Legacy Golf Club
130 Par Excellence Drive
702-897-2187888-446-5358
Ranked as one of the "top ten courses to play in Nevada" by Golf Digest.
Rio Secco Golf Club
2851 Grand Hills Drive
702-889-2400/888-867-3226
Rio Secco combines 6 plateau holes, 6 canyon holes, and 6 desert holes.
Wildhorse Golf Club
2100 Warm Springs Road
702-434-9000/888-468-7918
Home to many lakes, hundreds of trees, and greens guarded by bunkers.
Southshore Golf Club
1 Strada Di Circolo
702-558-0020
SouthShore was Jack Nicklaus' first design in Nevada, located in the multi-billion-dollar Lake Las Vegas Resort.
Local Area Shopping
MonteLago Village, with its quaint cobblestone streets, is the hot spot to shop along the waterfront in Lake Las Vegas. Its exquisite boutiques are one of a kind, and with many elegant cafes and restaurants in the Village as well, you are sure to have a relaxing and enjoyable shopping experience!
Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas is a shopping mall located in Primm, Nevada. The mall offers more than 100 shops and restaurants including Versace, Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, Neiman Marcus, and others. The outlet operates shuttles from the New York-New York and the MGM Grand hotels with three daily departures each. Call 888-424-6898 for reservations, round-trip fare is $12.99 per person and includes a discount card. Hours: 10 am to 9pm Monday to Saturday; 10am to 8pm Sunday. Hours may vary on holidays.
If you're looking to do some great high-end shopping, Via Bellagio at the Bellagio Hotel-Casino is the place to go. Here, luxury is an understatement! Visit Tiffany & Co., Hermes, Chanel, Moschino, Giorgio Armani, and Prada are must see’s, if only for the window shopping!
Fashion Show Mall is located at 3200 Las Vegas Boulevard South on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada (an unincorporated town in the Las Vegas area). With over 200 stores, it is one of the largest enclosed malls in the world.
Desert Passage is an enclosed 1.2-mile shopping mall on the Las Vegas Strip that has a Moroccan theme to match the Aladdin Hotel that adjoins it. It has about 140 stores and features an hourly indoor thunderstorm!
The Forum Shops at Caesars located adjacent to Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas boasts a unique atmosphere that simulates ancient Rome, including fountains and realistic-looking stone statues. It features more than 160 shops and luxury boutiques as well as many restaurants and specialty food shops.
The Grand Canal Shoppes is a shopping mall adjacent to the Venetian Hotel and Casino. The mall has a Venetian theme, and has indoor canals where gondolas will take you around the mall. There are many designer and upscale shops.
Business and Economy
Compared to the rest of the country, Henderson's cost of living is 43.20% higher than the U.S. average and the unemployment rate in Henderson is 4.10 percent, the U.S. average being 4.60%. Recent job growth is positive and Henderson jobs have increased by 4.84 percent. Future job growth over the next ten years is predicted to be 86.70%.
Henderson is home to such businesses as Dusan Equipment Corporation, International Seal, Amand Manufacturing, Good Humor-Breyers Ice Cream, and Valley Auto Mall.
It is good to know that the income tax in Henderson is 0.00%!
Education
The quality of education is very important in the city of Henderson. Henderson public schools spend $5,249 per student and there are about 20.3 students per teacher here.
Henderson is home to 29 elementary schools, 9 middle schools, and 9 high schools, 5 of which are public high schools. A tenth public high school, Silverado High School, also serves parts of Henderson but is located in the unincorporated area of Clark County.
Henderson also hosts Touro University Nevada and Nevada State College.
Interesting Facts
The now-demolished theme park "Old Vegas", which was located in Henderson, was used for several outdoor scenes for the famous TV series called Gunsmoke. The property is now the site of a housing development, also named "Old Vegas".
American Casino, a television series for the Discovery Channel, was filmed at the Green Valley Ranch Resort in Henderson.
The city of Henderson celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006.
For information about Lake Las Vegas, the exquisite resort and residential community in Henderson, see the page on our website entitled “About Lake Las Vegas, Nevada”.
- NUMBER1EXPERTS™ 
Schools in Henderson, Lake Las Vegas and Las Vegas
