With some 2.7 million people living in the few major cities, the state has a deserted feel to it, as soon as one leaves the metropolitan areas. Over two thirds of all the state’s inhabitants live in Las Vegas and surrounding areas. Carson City is the state capital.

With so much land not bearing fruit for agriculture, the introduction of legalized gambling and Nevada’s lenient marriage and divorce legislation transformed the state’s fortunes. Today Nevada is one of the USA’s major tourist destinations, with Las Vegas being one of the country’s top attractions. International and national tourism remains the state’s largest employer, only mining makes an equally significant contribution to the economy. Nevada is the world’s fourth largest producer of gold, so this mining sector continues to be a lucrative business.

Despite the gold and tourism Nevada’s per capita income ranks only nineteenth in the USA with an annual income of approximately $38,600. With the world-wide economic downturn Nevada saw its fortunes change again and last year the rate of unemployment was rated as the worst in the country with some 14.4% people being out of work.

If you are thinking of relocating to Nevada, you should bear in mind that tourism in your best bet for a new job. Resorts are located in Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Reno and Laughlin and jobs can be found in gaming and non-gaming sectors of tourism and leisure industries. Other industries in Nevada are publishing and printing, with new media creating new job opportunities, as well as food processing and agriculture.

If you are not moving to Nevada for work purposes than the state has plenty to offer to those who enjoy and outdoor life, particularly rock climbing in the mountains or going on guided nature trails in the desert are pursuits for those seeking adventure. The resort cities provide culture and entertainment for local residents, particularly if you love music.

Transportation across the state is easy by train or Greyhound Lines. Union Pacific Railroad runs trains in the north and the south of the state. Amtrak motor coaches offer connecting services from Las Vegas to train stations in California, such as Needles, Bakersfield and Los Angeles. Depending on how far you want to move out of the city centre into the metropolitan areas, an apartment for rent in Nevada starts from $575 to $700 for one to three bedrooms some 1.8 miles out of Carson City and costs typically some $800 to $1050 closer to city centre.