Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Tennessee instead of California, you would:
Health
live 5.2 years less
In California, the average life expectancy is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020. In Tennessee, that number is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
be 33.5% more likely to be obese
In California, 28.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Tennessee, that number is 37.9% of people as of 2022.
be 15.7% more likely to have diabetes
In California, 10.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Tennessee, that number is 12.5% as of 2022.
Economy
be 33.3% less likely to be unemployed
In California, 5.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Tennessee, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.
make 28.4% less money
California has a GDP per capita of $84,028 as of 2024, while in Tennessee, the GDP per capita is $60,177 as of 2024.
be 10.3% more likely to live below the poverty line
In California, 11.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Tennessee, however, that number is 12.9% as of 2023.
Safety
be 21.6% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
California has a violent crime rate of 503 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Tennessee, that number is 612 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 63.1% less for a home
The median home value in California is $695,400 as of 2023, compared to $256,800 in Tennessee as of 2023.
pay 42.6% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in California is $1,956 as of 2023, while in Tennessee, it is $1,122 as of 2023.
be 20.1% more likely to own your home
In California, 55.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In Tennessee, that number is 67.0% as of 2023.
earn 30.3% less money
The median household income in California is $96,334 as of 2023, while in Tennessee, it is $67,097 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 3.3 minutes less
The average one-way commute in California takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023. In Tennessee, it takes 25.7 minutes as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.3 years older on average
The median age in California is 37.6 years as of 2023. In Tennessee, the median age is 38.9 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 30.9% less densely populated
California has a population density of 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In Tennessee, that number is 67.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 39.7% more likely to be uninsured
In California, 6.8% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Tennessee, that number is 9.5% as of 2023.
be 68.1% more likely to smoke
In California, 11.6% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Tennessee, that number is 19.5% as of 2022.
be 23.2% more likely to be physically inactive
In California, 22.4% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Tennessee, that number is 27.6% as of 2022.
be 20.0% 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 Tennessee, that number is 20.0% as of 2023.
be 72.1% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In California, 12.2% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Tennessee, that number is 3.4% 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.
