Quality of life comparison
If you lived in French Polynesia instead of California, you would:
Health
be 73.1% more likely to be obese
In California, 28.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In French Polynesia, that number is 49.1% of people as of 2024.
Economy
be 2.3 times more likely to be unemployed
In California, 5.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In French Polynesia, that number is 11.7% as of 2025.
make 73.3% less money
California has a GDP per capita of $84,028 as of 2024, while in French Polynesia, the GDP per capita is $22,440 as of 2024.
Basic Needs
be 21.5% less likely to have internet access
In California, approximately 92.6% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In French Polynesia, about 72.7% do as of 2021.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Compare further: California vs. French Polynesia
French Polynesia: At a glance
How big is French Polynesia compared to California? See an in-depth size comparison.