Quality of life comparison
If you lived in West Virginia instead of Alaska, you would:
Health
live 3.8 years less
In Alaska, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In West Virginia, that number is 73 years (72 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2020.
be 27.0% more likely to be obese
In Alaska, 31.9% of adults are obese as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 40.5% of people as of 2022.
be 48.3% more likely to have diabetes
In Alaska, 8.7% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 12.9% as of 2022.
Economy
be 12.0% less likely to be unemployed
In Alaska, 5.0% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In West Virginia, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
make 38.3% less money
Alaska has a GDP per capita of $75,882 as of 2024, while in West Virginia, the GDP per capita is $46,834 as of 2024.
be 64.6% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Alaska, 9.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In West Virginia, however, that number is 16.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 63.2% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Alaska has a violent crime rate of 722 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 266 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 35.9% less 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 West Virginia, that number is 1,198 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 53.3% less for a home
The median home value in Alaska is $333,300 as of 2023, compared to $155,600 in West Virginia as of 2023.
pay 38.8% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Alaska is $1,388 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $850 as of 2023.
be 11.6% more likely to own your home
In Alaska, 66.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 74.3% as of 2023.
earn 35.2% less money
The median household income in Alaska is $89,336 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $57,917 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 43.0% less likely to be uninsured
In Alaska, 10.7% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 6.1% as of 2023.
live among residents who are 7.1 years older on average
The median age in Alaska is 35.6 years as of 2023. In West Virginia, the median age is 42.7 years as of 2023.
commute 7.1 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Alaska takes 19.5 minutes as of 2023. In West Virginia, it takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023.
be 25.6% more likely to smoke
In Alaska, 16.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 32.9% more likely to be physically inactive
In Alaska, 22.5% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 29.9% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 56.8 times more densely populated
Alaska has a population density of 0.5 people per sq km as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 19.3% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Alaska, 20.7% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 16.7% as of 2023.
be 73.3% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Alaska, 3.0% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 0.8% as of 2023.
be 11.3% more likely to be food insecure
In Alaska, 10.6% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In West Virginia, that number is 11.8% 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.
