Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Mississippi instead of Alabama, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years less
In Alabama, the average life expectancy is 73 years (72 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In Mississippi, that number is 72 years (71 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
Economy
make 15.1% less money
Alabama has a GDP per capita of $49,225 as of 2024, while in Mississippi, the GDP per capita is $41,778 as of 2024.
be 34.8% more likely to be unemployed
In Alabama, 2.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Mississippi, that number is 3.1% as of 2025.
be 24.3% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Alabama, 14.8% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Mississippi, however, that number is 18.4% as of 2023.
Safety
be 49.2% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Alabama has a violent crime rate of 397 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 202 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 17.3% less for a home
The median home value in Alabama is $195,100 as of 2023, compared to $161,400 in Mississippi as of 2023.
earn 11.5% less money
The median household income in Alabama is $62,027 as of 2023, while in Mississippi, it is $54,915 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live in an area that is 37.8% less densely populated
Alabama has a population density of 38.9 people per sq km as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 24.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 25.6% more likely to be uninsured
In Alabama, 9.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 11.3% as of 2023.
be 10.6% more likely to smoke
In Alabama, 17.0% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 18.8% as of 2022.
be 13.6% more likely to be physically inactive
In Alabama, 27.9% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Mississippi, that number is 31.7% as of 2022.
be 12.5% less 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 Mississippi, that number is 16.1% as of 2023.
be 36.4% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Alabama, 2.2% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Mississippi, that number is 1.4% as of 2023.
be 13.2% more likely to be food insecure
In Alabama, 14.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Mississippi, that number is 16.3% as of 2021.
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.
