Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Mexico instead of Alaska, you would:
Health
live 2.1 years less
In Alaska, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 80 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 24.1% more likely to have diabetes
In Alaska, 8.7% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 10.8% as of 2022.
Economy
be 16.0% less likely to be unemployed
In Alaska, 5.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In New Mexico, that number is 4.2% as of 2025.
make 26.2% less money
Alaska has a GDP per capita of $75,882 as of 2024, while in New Mexico, the GDP per capita is $56,008 as of 2024.
be 78.8% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Alaska, 9.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Mexico, however, that number is 17.7% as of 2023.
Safety
be 53.8% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Alaska has a property crime rate of 1,868 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 2,872 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 30.3% less for a home
The median home value in Alaska is $333,300 as of 2023, compared to $232,200 in New Mexico as of 2023.
pay 26.4% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Alaska is $1,388 as of 2023, while in New Mexico, it is $1,021 as of 2023.
earn 30.5% less money
The median household income in Alaska is $89,336 as of 2023, while in New Mexico, it is $62,125 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 13.1% less likely to be uninsured
In Alaska, 10.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 9.3% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 3.6 years older on average
The median age in Alaska is 35.6 years as of 2023. In New Mexico, the median age is 39.2 years as of 2023.
be 70.0% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Alaska, 3.0% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 5.1% as of 2023.
commute 3.7 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Alaska takes 19.5 minutes as of 2023. In New Mexico, it takes 23.2 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 13.6 times more densely populated
Alaska has a population density of 0.5 people per sq km as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 26.4% more likely to be food insecure
In Alaska, 10.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Mexico, that number is 13.4% 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.
