Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Mexico instead of Alabama, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years longer
In Alabama, the average life expectancy is 73 years (72 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In New Mexico, that number is 74 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 18.7% less likely to be obese
In Alabama, 39.6% of adults are obese as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 32.2% of people as of 2022.
be 15.6% less likely to have diabetes
In Alabama, 12.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 10.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 13.8% more money
Alabama has a GDP per capita of $49,225 as of 2024, while in New Mexico, the GDP per capita is $56,008 as of 2024.
be 82.6% more likely to be unemployed
In Alabama, 2.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Mexico, that number is 4.2% as of 2025.
be 19.6% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Alabama, 14.8% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Mexico, however, that number is 17.7% as of 2023.
Safety
be 87.6% 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 New Mexico, that number is 745 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 71.9% 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 New Mexico, that number is 2,872 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 19.0% more for a home
The median home value in Alabama is $195,100 as of 2023, compared to $232,200 in New Mexico as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 2.2 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Alabama takes 25.4 minutes as of 2023. In New Mexico, it takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023.
be 15.4% less likely to be physically inactive
In Alabama, 27.9% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 23.6% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 82.5% less densely populated
Alabama has a population density of 38.9 people per sq km as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 12.0% 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 New Mexico, that number is 20.6% as of 2023.
be 2.3 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 New Mexico, that number is 5.1% as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: 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.
