Question of the Day - 03 April 2025

By all accounts, the answer is yes, Las Vegas does have an abnormally high number of pawn shops for a city its size.

Estimates of the total number vary, but they range between 60 pawn shops in the city of Las Vegas and 100 in all of Clark County. Compare that to the national total of roughly 10,000 pawn shops, per industry reports, over a population of 330 million. That equates with one shop per 33,000 people. Las Vegas has 60 shops for 650,000 residents, or one per 10,800 people, so at least in the core, Vegas is definitely punching above its weight. In the county, 100 per 2.3 million is one for every 23,0000, still well above the national average. 

Now compare Las Vegas to a city with a similar population like Tucson, with 550,000 residents and 25 pawn shops, or with a larger population like San Francisco, with about 870,000 residents and at most 30 pawn shops. 

The city with the greatest number of pawn shops is Houston with 128. Fourth most populous city in the U.S., it has the same number as Clark County: 2.3 million. But it has 128 pawn shops, roughly one per 18,000. Clark County isn't all that far behind.  

The reasons for Las Vegas' above-normal number are pretty obvious. Gambling means losses means pawn shops for recovering funds. And this isn't just for residents; 42 million visitors came and went in 2024. Also, the Las Vegas economy is vulnerable to downturns. During events like the 2008 recession, financial hardship among residents almost certainly boosted the pawn shop industry, as people sought alternative ways to access cash.

"Pawn Stars," of course, both capitalized on and further popularized Las Vegas' reputation as a city with an abundant number of pawn shops.