Why Choose Mesquite for Your Next Home:

In the years between 1990 and 2000, the population of the United States increased by just over 13%. The population of Nevada increased by about 66%, and the population of the small town of Mesquite increased by over 400%. The town grew from a population of 1,871 to 9,389 in those ten short years. The next ten years saw an additional 62% growth, and new residents are still arriving.

Getting Here

Mesquite is centrally located on Interstate 15 for travel from Los Angeles or Las Vegas to St. George, Utah and points beyond. The city is also served by the Mesquite Airport, which provides facilities for general aviation and skydiving.

Why? What draws more and more residents to Mesquite?

With a population of about 19,000, it offers small town life combined with big-city amenities. We have minimal traffic, only 4 traffic lights, low property taxes, no sales tax on food, and zero personal or corporate income tax. In addition - Mesquite is a true desert paradise. Situated in the Virgin Valley, Mesquite offers majestic mountain views, breathtaking sunsets, and more than 300 days of sunshine each year. Situated 80 miles North of Las Vegas and 36 miles from St. George, Utah, Mesquite is bordered by the State of Arizona, the unincorporated community of Bunkerville, and Lincoln County. Many of those moving into the area visit Las Vegas and St. George, then choose Mesquite for the friendly, small-town atmosphere, combined with a low crime rate and slightly below average cost of living.
 

The Main Attractions

For many, the biggest draw of all is golfing.

Golfing saw a huge upsurge in the 1990s, luring golfers to communities that offered challenging, picturesque courses. Mesquite’s small-town atmosphere, low crime rate, and moderately priced housing made it the perfect spot for golf course developers to build championship destination golf courses.

The Conestoga course was crafted by Gary Panks, and the Oasis Palmer Course was designed by Arnold Palmer.

Wolf Creek was a featured course on EA Sports Tiger Woods from 2008 - 2015, and in 2011 won the Fan Choice Award as the favorite course to play by golfers worldwide.

Early seasons of the Golf Channel’s reality show introduced golfers nationwide to the beauty and challenge of the Oasis Palmer Course, Falcon Ridge, CasaBlanca, and The Palms.

Mesquite hosts the annual RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship, a golfing event featuring some of the nation’s best golfers. Dubbed Clash in the Canyon, the 3-day event includes elimination rounds in all three categories (Men’s, Women’s, and Maters’).
 

In addition to golf… more sports

This desert setting, combined with the proximity to the Virgin River, offers unlimited opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, fishing, boating, and off-roading. It is the gateway to more than 1400 square miles of magnificent landscapes and archeological sites. Within a day’s drive, outdoor enthusiasts will find access to Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park, Valley of Fire, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, plus six national forests, eight more national parks, and twelve national monuments. The city is fast becoming a sporting destination, as it hosts soccer, softball, and baseball tournaments, plus Senior Olympic events. Mesquite’s newest Resort, the Rising Star Sports Ranch Resort, is becoming a destination for sports teams of all kinds. Amenities, which include bunk-style rooms for youth team members, are perfect for sports camps and tournaments, and guests have easy access to all of Mesquite’s sports facilities. Its park-like recreation area includes basketball courts, horseshoe pits, pickle ball courts, a putting green, and a beautiful pool. Spacious function rooms are perfect for events, and the resort’s staff is ready and eager to handle your planning and catering requirements.
 

For those more interested in cultural activities…

Mesquite’s Fine Arts Center presents the original work of more than 180 active member artists. Exhibits change monthly, and admission is always free.

The Mesquite Community Theater, operated by the Virgin Valley Theatre Group, exists as a performance venue for arts organizations, artists, and businesses. Presentations include plays, live concerts, children’s programs, and special events.

The Arts Foundation, with a mission to support all forms of art and art organizations in Mesquite, lends financial assistance. The goal is to establish Mesquite as a recognized cultural center in Nevada.

In the Virgin Valley Heritage Museum, Mesquite’s rich history comes to life in artifacts and stories about the early days in Mesquite, which was first known as Mesquite Flats.
 

Of course there’s gambling.

When most people think of Nevada they think of gambling, and Mesquite does offer three resort/hotel casinos, providing fine dining, swimming pools, and luxury accommodations. The combination of golf courses, casinos, and luxury has made Mesquite a destination stop-over for travelers.
 

Annual events in Mesquite

Each year Motor Mania brings the streets alive with color and chrome. Approximately 900 classic cars from around the country are on display for “Show and Shine” at the resort casino hotels. This 3-day event includes intense competitions, more than 260 awards, and entertainers paying tribute to the 50’s and 60’s.

“Rockets Over the Red Mesa” is a free 4th of July fireworks show, accompanied by live music, a BBQ Buffet and a variety of vendor booths.

Mesquite Days is an annual 5-day event featuring a parade, bake-off, carnival, fun run, pancake breakfast, live music and more.

The Lions Club sponsors an annual Easter Egg hunt in Mesquite for children up to 10 years of age.



The 1,000 Flags Event: For one week each year, Mesquite pays tribute to veterans and our current members of the military with its annual 1,000 Flags Event. One thousand flags are arranged on the west field of the Mesquite Recreation Center. This event includes ceremonies, musical presentations, multiple events for children and adults at the public library, a blood drive, and a Hangar Dance , which is a 1940s’ USO-style event.

Mesquite celebrates Christmas with a Christmas Parade, a Festival of Trees, and several charity golf tournaments supporting local charities. The Golf for Kids Tournament provides hundreds of gifts for children in the community.

Area casinos and resorts ring in each New Year with celebrations including live music, spectacular buffets, and fireworks.

The Mesquite Hot Air Balloon Festival is a three day event held annually since 2012. Here visitors can speak with balloonists, and thrill to the sight of more than 35 hot air balloons floating in the skies above Mesquite.
 

Shopping and Dining

Mesquite offers a variety of shopping venues, from brand-names such as a STAGE Clothing Store, ACE Hardware, Sears, Smith Foods, and a Wal-Mart Super Center to small boutiques offering specialty items. Residents are welcome to enjoy fine dining at the casinos and golf courses. Other choices include neighborhood cafes and coffee shops, plus ethnic choices such as Mexican, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, and Italian are available in town.
 

Staying Healthy

Mesquite is served by Mesa View Regional Hospital, which opened in 2004. This 25-bed facility offers a full range of inpatient and outpatient care; diagnostic imaging; and emergency, medical and surgical care. They are proud to offer a Total Joint Replacement program and to be accredited by The Joint Commission.

In addition to the hospital, the city is served by the Mesquite Women’s Clinic, Mesa View Pediatrics, Virgin Valley Dental, Virgin Valley Hospice, Highland Manor of Mesquite, Desert Valley Dialysis, Mesa View Home Care, and many more. Resident’s pets also have care nearby, with three veterinary clinics to choose from.
 

Education

Mesquite is served by two elementary schools: Virgin Valley Elementary and JL Bowler Elementary, one middle school, one high school, and Sunshine Academy, a privately owned preschool.

The College of South Nevada has a Mesquite campus, and there are five colleges/universities with over 2,000 students within 100 miles of Mesquite. They are: Dixie State University in St. George, Utah; The University of Nevada-Las Vegas; Nevada State College in Henderson, Nevada; The College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas, and Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah.
 

Employment

The hospitality industry is responsible for much of the employment in Mesquite, but there are also jobs in retail, manufacturing, construction, education, health care, personal services, professional services, and public administration.
 

Housing

The estimated median value of a single family home in Mesquite in the last half of 2017 was about $270,000 – more than double the median value of $126,400 in 2000.

Moving into 2018, our housing supply stands at 2.43 months. In a balanced market, we would have a 6-month supply of homes available, so our numbers show a low inventory.

Single family homes range in price from $190,000 to $1,495,000; townhomes range from $155,000 to $325,000; and condos range from $98,000 to $215,000.

Of the homes available, the majority are on the North side of Mesquite, where new housing developments have sprung up in the years since 1990. Mesquite has several master associations. Sun City, Mesquite Vistas, Falcon Ridge, and Canyon Crest, all have sub-associations, as well.  Sun City and Mesquite Vistas maintain clubhouses with amenities such as a fitness center, swimming pool, etc.   Most subdivisions maintain an association swimming pool, but not all. A few of these communities are gated.

Several more single family developments are in the planning or permit stages. We have several condo associations, but no new projects in development at present.
 

Mesquite’s History

The first settlers, fifteen families and a total of 71 people, settled here on the banks of the Virgin River between 1878 and 1882. Using the river for irrigation, they built six miles of irrigation canals and were farming successfully. However, in June of 1882, a heavy rainstorm turned the river into a raging torrent. That torrent created 50 breaks in the canals. While they tried to repair the damage, before long the river claimed its victory and the settlers departed.

The Flats were abandoned until 1887, when Dudley Leavitt, accompanied by several wives and numerous children, made a four-year long attempt to create a settlement. They failed, and the Flats were once again abandoned.

The site retained its allure, and in 1894, six hardy young families from Bunkerville arrived to rebuild the canals and create a permanent settlement. In 1898, the town’s name changed from Mesquite Flats to simply “Mesquite.”
 

Farming was a success

Thanks to the Virgin River and the early settler’s innovative irrigation system, farming has been successful in Mesquite for more than 100 years. Crops included grapes, alfalfa, wheat, cane, pomegranates, figs, cotton, and raisins.

Dairy farming was also a success, and at one time during the late 20th century, there were 5 dairy farms near Mesquite.  Today the primary crop is alfalfa, and ranchers enjoy success with cow/calf operations.

Meanwhile, backyard gardeners find that the high mineral content of the water is especially conducive to successful production of fruits and vegetables.
 

Historic Buildings

Most of the early settler’s homes were destroyed by flooding. In fact, the old rock house is the only surviving home of the original town. Made by stacking rocks on top of each other and filling the cracks with clay and sand, it stands an example of the rugged existence of those early days on Mesquite Flat. Due to the irregularity of the building materials, the walls are 20 inches thick in some places. This was an advantage to those early settlers who didn’t have the luxury of today’s air conditioning. After a hard day’s work in the fields, it must have been a relief to enter a house whose thick rock walls provided insulation against the extreme heat of summer.

The Virgin Valley Heritage Museum was built in 1941 to serve as a library and museum. It served as a library for only a year before being converted to a hospital (Mesquite’s only medical facility). The hospital was operated by Dr. Gilbert and Bertha Howe, a registered nurse. Funded by a $35 contribution from each family in Mesquite, they went to Las Vegas and purchased the medical supplies necessary to open its doors. It remained a hospital until 1977. Vacant for a few years, it was later used as a Boy Scout meeting hall. When the City of Mesquite was incorporated in 1984, the city reclaimed the building and designated it as a museum. Today it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Notes: $35 in 1942 equates to about $545 in today’s dollars. The total population of Mesquite in 1940 was approximately 700.

Whether you plan to settle here permanently and want to know about your town’s past; or you just have an interest in history, a visit to the museum is well worth your time.
 

Want to know why we love Mesquite?

Call us. We’d love to answer all of your questions.