By Mrs. Dawn Broyles III, Las Vegas, NV
The cost of living for both the disabled and seniors in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2026 is growing faster than the income of Social Security beneficiaries, including retirees and people on disability. I am a 57-year-old disabled woman. I’m married and my husband has a fractured spine. He fought for disability twice and lost. He’s currently under doctor’s care, yet he’s still forced to find employment and return to work.
It’s hard when you have a situation like mine, where there’s only one income to keep up with the cost of living. Even if one spouse works and the other is on disability, it’s nearly impossible to make ends meet for things like groceries and toiletries, then try to afford rent, utilities, and so on.
Here’s just a quick snapshot, from my own research, of the current cost of living in Las Vegas:
Rent
At the time of this writing, the average rent for a 1-bedroom, 1-bath senior or accessible apartment in Las Vegas generally ranges between $1,000 and $1,550 per month. While average market rates hover around $1,281–$1,541, income-restricted, older, or subsidized units can be found for as low as $800–$950 in some senior communities.
Currently our rent is $1,212 per month, and it will go up again in June when we go to renew our lease. Something has to give because we can’t continue like this. Either the cost of living needs to be reduced drastically or people on disability and seniors need more money to keep up with the ever-rising and out-of-control inflation and cost of living.
Electric bill
In 2026, the average electric bill for residents in Las Vegas is approximately $154–$198 per month, though summer bills for seniors and disabled people often exceed $200–$250 due to high AC demand. Lower consumption units (e.g., small apartments) might stay closer to $100–$130 in the summer, while larger homes with pools can exceed $400.
Assisted living and residential care
In Las Vegas, the average cost of assisted living is approximately $4,500–$7,000 per month. Independent living averages around $3,820 monthly, while full-time, non-medical home care ranges from $5,000–$8,500 per month. Memory care is higher, often costing over $6,600 monthly.
We’re at a breaking point.
If nothing is done to bring benefits back in line with the cost of living, you’re going to see the disabled and seniors become homeless. In Las Vegas and Clark County, it’s illegal to be homeless. Camping or sleeping on public property is punishable by up to 10 days in jail and/or fines, particularly when shelter space is available. These offenses, often classified as misdemeanors, are enforced after warnings to move, and repeated offenses within three years can increase penalties, potentially leading to 30 days to 6 months in jail and a criminal misdemeanor charge.
So, they have criminalized the homelessness problem they’re creating with out-of-control inflation and cost of living where everything is becoming too unaffordable to live.
We’re in a crisis and something needs to be done. This is an urgent matter, especially for those who have chronic kidney disease, heart conditions, and all medical conditions that can be affected by extreme weather conditions such as heat or cold. Las Vegas is a city in the desert, and here the heat can get to over 115 degrees. We have many heat-related deaths here. This is a real consequence that needs to be addressed and pointed out to lawmakers. People who are disabled and seniors alike feel as though lawmakers don’t listen and don’t care, and we’ve become extremely disillusioned.
