Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Carolina instead of California, you would:
Health
live 2.9 years less
In California, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In North Carolina, that number is 76 years (75 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020.
be 18.3% more likely to be obese
In California, 28.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 33.6% of people as of 2022.
Economy
be 33.3% less likely to be unemployed
In California, 5.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In North Carolina, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.
make 29.4% less money
California has a GDP per capita of $84,028 as of 2024, while in North Carolina, the GDP per capita is $59,308 as of 2024.
Safety
be 24.7% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
California has a violent crime rate of 503 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 379 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 13.2% less likely to be a victim of property crime
California has a property crime rate of 2,303 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 1,998 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 62.7% less for a home
The median home value in California is $695,400 as of 2023, compared to $259,400 in North Carolina as of 2023.
pay 40.6% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in California is $1,956 as of 2023, while in North Carolina, it is $1,162 as of 2023.
be 19.0% more likely to own your home
In California, 55.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 66.4% as of 2023.
earn 27.4% less money
The median household income in California is $96,334 as of 2023, while in North Carolina, it is $69,904 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 3.9 minutes less
The average one-way commute in California takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023. In North Carolina, it takes 25.1 minutes as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.5 years older on average
The median age in California is 37.6 years as of 2023. In North Carolina, the median age is 39.1 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 11.1% less densely populated
California has a population density of 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 86.2 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 41.2% more likely to be uninsured
In California, 6.8% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 9.6% as of 2023.
be 25.9% more likely to smoke
In California, 11.6% of adults smoke as of 2022. In North Carolina, that number is 14.6% as of 2022.
be 10.0% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In California, 25.0% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 22.5% as of 2023.
be 60.7% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In California, 12.2% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In North Carolina, that number is 4.8% 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.
