Quality of life comparison
If you lived in District of Columbia instead of Arkansas, you would:
Health
live 4.2 years longer
In Arkansas, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 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 33.9% less likely to be obese
In Arkansas, 38.3% 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 Arkansas, 12.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 8.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 4.4 times more money
Arkansas has a GDP per capita of $47,319 as of 2024, while in District of Columbia, the GDP per capita is $209,167 as of 2024.
be 52.4% more likely to be unemployed
In Arkansas, 4.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In District of Columbia, that number is 6.4% as of 2025.
Safety
be 84.5% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Arkansas has a violent crime rate of 610 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 1,126 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 92.1% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Arkansas has a property crime rate of 2,195 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 80.8% more money
The median household income in Arkansas is $58,773 as of 2023, while in District of Columbia, it is $106,287 as of 2023.
pay 4.1 times more for a home
The median home value in Arkansas is $175,300 as of 2023, compared to $724,600 in District of Columbia as of 2023.
pay 2.1 times more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Arkansas is $914 as of 2023, while in District of Columbia, it is $1,900 as of 2023.
be 37.8% less likely to own your home
In Arkansas, 66.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 41.1% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 61.6% less likely to be uninsured
In Arkansas, 8.6% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 3.3% as of 2023.
be 39.9% less likely to smoke
In Arkansas, 19.3% of adults smoke as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 11.6% as of 2022.
be 49.0% less likely to be physically inactive
In Arkansas, 30.4% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In District of Columbia, that number is 15.5% as of 2022.
be 2.7 times more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Arkansas, 16.5% 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 97.0% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Arkansas, 3.3% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In District of Columbia, that number is 6.5% as of 2023.
be 34.0% less likely to be food insecure
In Arkansas, 15.0% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In District of Columbia, that number is 9.9% as of 2021.
commute 8.0 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Arkansas takes 22.3 minutes as of 2023. In District of Columbia, it takes 30.3 minutes as of 2023.
live among residents who are 3.5 years older on average
The median age in Arkansas is 38.4 years as of 2023. In District of Columbia, the median age is 34.9 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 189.6 times more densely populated
Arkansas has a population density of 22.8 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.
