Quality of life comparison
If you lived in West Virginia instead of Delaware, you would:
Health
live 3.9 years less
In Delaware, the average life expectancy is 77 years (75 years for men, 81 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 14.2% more likely to have diabetes
In Delaware, 11.3% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 12.9% as of 2022.
Economy
be 13.7% less likely to be unemployed
In Delaware, 5.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In West Virginia, that number is 4.4% as of 2025.
make 41.8% less money
Delaware has a GDP per capita of $80,523 as of 2024, while in West Virginia, the GDP per capita is $46,834 as of 2024.
be 64.6% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Delaware, 9.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In West Virginia, however, that number is 16.3% as of 2023.
Safety
be 28.1% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Delaware has a violent crime rate of 370 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 266 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 34.6% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Delaware has a property crime rate of 1,831 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 1,198 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 52.4% less for a home
The median home value in Delaware is $326,800 as of 2023, compared to $155,600 in West Virginia as of 2023.
pay 36.6% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Delaware is $1,341 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $850 as of 2023.
earn 30.1% less money
The median household income in Delaware is $82,855 as of 2023, while in West Virginia, it is $57,917 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
live in an area that is 86.1% less densely populated
Delaware has a population density of 204.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 28.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 41.6% more likely to smoke
In Delaware, 14.9% of adults smoke as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 21.1% as of 2022.
be 28.3% more likely to be physically inactive
In Delaware, 23.3% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In West Virginia, that number is 29.9% as of 2022.
be 29.2% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Delaware, 23.6% 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 82.6% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Delaware, 4.6% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In West Virginia, that number is 0.8% as of 2023.
be 25.5% more likely to be food insecure
In Delaware, 9.4% 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.
