Quality of life comparison
If you lived in District of Columbia instead of Alabama, you would:
Health
live 4.8 years longer
In Alabama, the average life expectancy is 73 years (72 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In District of Columbia, that number is 78 years (75 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2019.
be 36.1% less likely to be obese
In Alabama, 39.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 25.3% of people as of 2022.
be 31.2% less likely to have diabetes
In Alabama, 12.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 8.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 4.2 times more money
Alabama has a GDP per capita of $49,225 as of 2024, while in District of Columbia, the GDP per capita is $209,167 as of 2024.
be 2.8 times more likely to be unemployed
In Alabama, 2.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In District of Columbia, that number is 6.4% as of 2025.
Safety
be 2.8 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Alabama has a violent crime rate of 397 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 1,126 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 2.5 times more likely to be a victim of property crime
Alabama has a property crime rate of 1,671 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 4,216 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 71.4% more money
The median household income in Alabama is $62,027 as of 2023, while in District of Columbia, it is $106,287 as of 2023.
pay 3.7 times more for a home
The median home value in Alabama is $195,100 as of 2023, compared to $724,600 in District of Columbia as of 2023.
pay 97.3% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Alabama is $963 as of 2023, while in District of Columbia, it is $1,900 as of 2023.
be 41.2% less likely to own your home
In Alabama, 69.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 41.1% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 63.3% less likely to be uninsured
In Alabama, 9.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 3.3% as of 2023.
be 31.8% less likely to smoke
In Alabama, 17.0% of adults smoke as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 44.4% less likely to be physically inactive
In Alabama, 27.9% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 15.5% as of 2022.
be 2.4 times more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Alabama, 18.4% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 44.4% as of 2023.
be 3.0 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Alabama, 2.2% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.
be 31.2% less likely to be food insecure
In Alabama, 14.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In District of Columbia, that number is 9.9% as of 2021.
commute 4.9 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Alabama takes 25.4 minutes as of 2023. In District of Columbia, it takes 30.3 minutes as of 2023.
live among residents who are 4.4 years older on average
The median age in Alabama is 39.3 years as of 2023. In District of Columbia, the median age is 34.9 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 111.1 times more densely populated
Alabama has a population density of 38.9 people per sq km as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 4,322.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
