Quality of life comparison
If you lived in West Virginia instead of Colorado, you would:
Health
live 5.5 years less
In Colorado, the average life expectancy is 78 years (78 years for men, 82 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 54.0% more likely to be obese
In Colorado, 26.3% of adults are obese as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 40.5% of people as of 2022.
be 63.3% more likely to have diabetes
In Colorado, 7.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 12.9% as of 2022.
Economy
make 37.3% less money
Colorado has a GDP per capita of $74,650 as of 2024, while in West Virginia, the GDP per capita is $46,834 as of 2024.
be 22.2% more likely to be unemployed
In Colorado, 3.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In West Virginia, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
be 83.1% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Colorado, 8.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In West Virginia, however, that number is 16.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 42.6% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Colorado has a violent crime rate of 463 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 266 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 57.4% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Colorado has a property crime rate of 2,814 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 1,198 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 69.0% less for a home
The median home value in Colorado is $502,200 as of 2023, compared to $155,600 in West Virginia as of 2023.
pay 49.8% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Colorado is $1,693 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $850 as of 2023.
be 12.1% more likely to own your home
In Colorado, 66.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 74.3% as of 2023.
earn 37.4% less money
The median household income in Colorado is $92,470 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $57,917 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 16.4% less likely to be uninsured
In Colorado, 7.3% 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 5.2 years older on average
The median age in Colorado is 37.5 years as of 2023. In West Virginia, the median age is 42.7 years as of 2023.
be 68.8% more likely to smoke
In Colorado, 12.5% of adults smoke as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 68.9% more likely to be physically inactive
In Colorado, 17.7% 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 29.1% more densely populated
Colorado has a population density of 22.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 44.3% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Colorado, 30.0% 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 83.3% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Colorado, 4.8% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 0.8% as of 2023.
be 32.6% more likely to be food insecure
In Colorado, 8.9% 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.
