Vegas May Have the Glitz and Glam, but Henderson Has the Swankiest, Priciest Homes

by Jessica Flint

In the Mojave Desert in southern Nevada, Las Vegas is known for its Las Vegas Strip, the roughly 4.2-mile stretch with glitzy, glammy casinos, hotels, restaurants and entertainment. But for people looking for the area’s sexiest residences, many head about 15 miles southeast of the Strip to Henderson, Nevada’s second biggest city after Las Vegas. Henderson emerged in the 1940s as a World War II magnesium supplier. Today, its 89012 ZIP Code has the Las Vegas area’s priciest residential real estate as ranked by median listing price, which was $2.1 million in December 2024, according to Realtor.com. (News Corp, owner of The Wall Street Journal, also operates Realtor.com.) Here, many luxury properties are located in swanky MacDonald Highlands, a guard-gated community where prices range from about $3 million to $30 million. Houses are big and modern, and have sweeping valley, mountain and Strip views.

This historic district is considered to be Hendersonâ€™s original downtown. It dates back to 1941. Today, itâ€™s an entertainment zone with a cool retro vibe.
(Mikayla Whitmore for WSJ)

Farther afield

About 17 miles east of Henderson is Lake Mead, a national recreation area that has 1.5 million acres of mountains, canyons and valleys in addition to two lakes. It’s an outdoor playground for hiking, boating, cycling, fishing and camping.

The Sporting Life

The 89012 ZIP Code is home to the Henderson Silver Knights, an American Hockey League team that is an affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights, a National Hockey League team. Locals enjoy attending the games.

Fans at a Silver Knights hockey game. (Mikayla Whitmore for WSJ)

343,000

Henderson’s approximate population across
its roughly 106-square-miles.

Advice for the buyer

If the Las Vegas area is like a circle, the Strip is roughly a vertical line in the center. Luxury buyers often gravitate southeast of the Strip to Henderson or west to the community of Summerlin, says Kristen Routh-Silberman, a Las Vegas-based Douglas Elliman real-estate agent. “If you love views, you’re going to be in Henderson,” Routh-Silberman says. “Families live in Summerlin because most of the private schools are there.” Still, the top questions she gets from prospective buyers don’t have to do with real estate. “The first question people always ask me is, ‘Do people actually live in Las Vegas?’” she says. “The answer is yes, people do actually live here.” The second most-asked question: Do you go to the Strip? “Yes, everyone goes to the Strip,” she says. “But you don’t hang out there. You go for a night out on the town—which is cooler than most nights out in most towns.”

On the market

Dragon Peak Drive
$28.75 Million

4 beds | 9 baths
15,000 sq. ft. | 1.26 acres

Located in MacDonald Highlands, this massive house was built in 2021. It has three stories of unobstructed Strip, mountain and city views. Highlights include a sky suite with 360 degree vistas; a sky lounge and bar with a secret room; a digital den theater room with a 13.5 foot LED screen; a nightclub with a DJ booth; seven fire features; and a powder room with a 35-foot ceiling. It also has two infinity saltwater pools, two reflection pools and a spa. There is a seven car garage. Agent: Kristen Routh-Silberman, Douglas Elliman.

Boulder Summit Drive
$22.9 Million

6 beds | 10 baths
14,005 sq. ft. | 1.38 acres

Built in 2014, this house, in MacDonald Highlands, has floor-to-ceiling retractable windows allow for seamless indoor-outdoor living. There is a movie theater, game room, wine grotto and private wellness wing with steam and sauna rooms and a full gym. The backyard has two pools, two spas, seven waterfalls, multiple fire pits and an outdoor kitchen. There is a seven car garage. Agent: Rick Brenkus and Amelia Keene, Keller Williams Realty The Marketplace.

Dragon Crest Avenue
$18 Million

5 beds | 8 baths
8, 555 sq. ft. | 0.86 acres

This sizable house in MacDonald Highlands was built in 2021. Views are of the Strip, mountains and city. Its indoor-outdoor design includes a two-story water wall. The primary bedroom is in its own wing with an office and a gym. The backyard has multiple pools and a pool bath, an outdoor kitchen, two sky decks, four fire pits and a heated sunken sitting area. The side yards have enclosed dog areas. There is a lower garage with room for six cars and an upper garage that can fit a large RV, truck, trailer, boat or six cars. Agent: Jason Lindstrom, eXp Realty.

$2.1 Million

Median list price, up 31.62% year-over-year

$536

Median price per square foot

66

Median days on the market

164

Number of active listings, up 14.34% year-over-year

Source: Realtor.com (December 2024)

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